Your Guardian Wolf
by eternal386
Summary: I've never noticed how tall he really is. How mesmerizing his eyes are or how his hair falls across his forehead when it's messy. I could feel the heat of his body soaking through my hands, his loud heartbeat pounding against my palms. Full/summery inside
1. Can't take my eyes off you

**A/N: Okay so I wasn't going to update on this story until I finished with "Twilighted with a Wish" but I couldn't help myself. :D  
I really hope you guys like this story! I really do! I have big plans for Jake…for this story! LOL. I would really appreciate and comments/feedback you might be willing to give me. My other readers might know that I thrive on reviews..so if you like the story and want quick updates…you know what to do to inspire me! :D**

**I recommend that you listen to the song listed below. It's a good song. Anyways enjoy!**

**Can't take my eyes off you by Lady Antebellum**

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Your Guardian Wolf

Chapter 1- Can't take my eyes off you

For the last couple of weeks, my life has been an emotional wreck. Okay well, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. But ever since Bella moved in with her dad, my old childhood feelings for her had resurfaced. And to top it all of those damn leeches triggered a gene and now I turned into a horse sized wolf. Everything started happening so fast. As soon as those bloodsuckers returned, Sam phased less than a month after. It took less than a year for all of us to phase. My biggest concern arose when Bella decided she wanted to develop a relationship with the eternally damned. By then, they had been here two years, and I had a little over a year of experience. Needless to point out, I was stuck between my hate for those damned things, my growing feelings for her, and my pent up emotional distress over what I had become. Yeah, it wasn't good. It wouldn't be so bad if Bella wouldn't insist in being with _him. _I don't get it. How could she voluntarily choose to be with _him_ after knowing what he was, what he truly was!

I had to put a stop to it. I couldn't allow her to grow "feelings" for _him._ Unwillingly, contrary to most of the packs believe, I phased in front of her. She saw me, the furry me. It wasn't my fault she was so frustrating and stubborn. Why was it so hard to understand _he_ wasn't safe? Good thing her shocked faced pulled me back from my rampage. Boy that would have turned ugly really fast. Those filthy leeches would never let me live it down. "You dogs have no self control. It's dangerous for her to be around." It seemed that was their constant motto of lately. It was the "expressed concern" they used to try and keep her away from La Push, like it ever worked. If she didn't come down here, I went out there, and if that didn't work we talked on the phone. The problem was that damn parasite was starting to be too controlling.

This brought me to my current state of mood. I haven't seen her in two weeks, two very excruciating long weeks. Sure we texted here and there, but it was taking her longer to do even that. I worried over her, but most importantly I felt I was losing a battle that I was meant to win. My constant PMS'ing as the guys would call it, fucken ass holes, had my whole pack distressed. I was starting to get worst than Leah. Except for Embry and Quil, no one really wanted to patrol with me. They said they hated hearing me whine and complain. Like I ever did _that_, they're just sissy's who can't handle my stress.

Today, Emily and Sam decided it would be a good idea to have a small gathering/BBQ on the beach. To alleviate to an extent all the pressure and drastic changes over the last couple of months. I didn't want to come, but Embry and Quil pretty much begged and wouldn't shut up. They reminded me every single fucken day and wouldn't stop talking about it. Until one glories' day I said I'd go if they'd shut up already. I've never been so happy to comply, the silence was blissful.

Maybe coming hadn't been such a bad idea after all. I was having fun now. Enjoying the all American past time of a good football game with the guys. Feeling the sand spread underneath my feet as I took my place as a wide receiver. My current objective was to get a touchdown or a field goal. Either one was good. All we needed was to break the tie. Our victory revolved on my success. So as I crouched low in my spot, I looked at everyone. Collin, their cornerback, would be easy to overcome. My biggest problem would be Paul, after he got rid of our offensive tackle, Jared, he would come after me. I knew he wanted his revenge after I tripped him earlier. It was so easy seeing the plot develop in his brain. I knew to keep my eye out for him.

Leah was our quarterback, we choose her for that position because she was light on her feet. And if for whatever reason anyone got past Brady, Jared, Embry or I, she would quickly know what to do. She was our quarterback, fullback and running back. She was alone back there, but she was fully capable of handling it on her own. Besides, Seth was on Sam's team, neither of them would attack her. We had the upper hand.

As soon as Jared touched the football, Paul tackled him, giving him hardly any time before tossing the football to Leah. By then I had easily avoided Collins side tackle and rushed past him. I pushed harder as I saw Leah positioning herself, preparing to throw the football across. Quil saw the move and jumped, trying to intersect it in mid air, but failed. I smiled as I kept running, waiting for the ball to fall into my hands. It was a clear victory. No one was near me to stop me from catching the football. Seth screamed a long 'no!' but I only smiled wickedly. Loser team would patrol for the winning team. I was kind of happy I came to this BBQ. Now I could shake of some patrolling hours and go hand out with Bella. I looked at the ball coming my way. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. I took a brief look at the guys before returning my attention to the football. Their faces were panicked as I readied myself to jump for the ball. I instantly felt something different. There was something wrong. They actually looked scared. I was momentarily distracted by their frantic calls and exaggerated movements. They kept pointing. It was all suddenly happening so fast. I realized that maybe there could be someone behind me, trying to intersect the ball. Someone must have gotten past me. I turned around quickly, but not soon enough. I crashed into that person. We both fell on the sand, grunting as the air left our lungs.

_Mindless son of a… why would anyone just stand there!_ I thought. I opened my eyes, ready to verbally bash out at the mindless idiot who got in my way.

The idiot was a girl.

A painfully out of breath girl. She struggled to breathe as a small tear escaped her closed eyes. "Oh shit!" I voiced unconsciously. I was still on top of her. The force of the impact was painful for me. I could only imagine the discomfort she was going through. I quickly got off remaining near the floor, scrambling for any idea of what to do.

"Are you okay?" of course she's not okay fucken idiot. You crushed her! "What can I do?" I continued. She was struggling to move.

"Help me sit!" she demanded still clutching her stomach, trying to take in deep breathes. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to a sitting position. Her hands were really soft, small and cold, fitting flawlessly into my large rough ones. I stared at our hands, awestruck at how perfectly they fit together, at how right they felt. Her skin was slightly lighter than mine, contrasting beautifully with my hands. I didn't want to let go. In fact, I wanted to pull her into my arms and comfort her, take away the pain I had caused her. I usually didn't consider or notice any of these details but with her, they just seemed to stand out. She placed her head in between her legs, breathing deeply. Her hand slipped out of mine and it felt empty. I wanted to take it back in mine and caress her soft skin. Console her, but I wouldn't.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I wasn't looking. Please, tell me your okay" I whispered. I felt really bad. I pretty much tackled her_. I'm such an idiot! I hope she didn't break anything!_

"I'm okay. Stop apologizing. It was my fault too." I heard her murmur. She was breathing normally now. I could hear the guy's whispers coming from behind, but for some reason, they were all keeping their distance. "I was running and my phone vibrated so I took it out to txt. So it was my fault too. I'm sorry." She said finally lifting her face up. She's …. She's…

"Beautiful" she has stunning eyes, soft icy blue eyes, dark brown hair cascading around her face and natural sun kissed skin. She's just beautiful.

"What?" she whispered shyly, a hint of a blush touching her sun kissed cheeks.

_I think I just said that out loud_.

I could feel my own blush coming. _Oh crap, I hope the idiots I consider friends didn't hear that._

The low snickering and mocking laughter warned me otherwise.

I extended my hands to take hers in mine. It was a natural instinct to do this. I didn't even think about it, my hands just reached out. She watched me, unsure of what to do, before placing her small perfect hand in mine. I slowly pulled her up off the sand, wishing I could pull harder and have her in my arms.

"Did you kill her?" I heard from behind. Paul and the rest of the guys were surrounding us now. Their eyes roaming her face and body like hungry vultures. My jaw clenched as anger slowly flared through me. I was feeling slightly possessive, as to why, I wasn't going to ponder about that right now. I would think about all of this later, when I was alone.

"No he didn't. I'm okay" she said watching in surprise as all the guys walked closer. She must be registering their overgrown builder bodies.

"No way! Is that you? ...It is!" Paul exclaimed loudly as he watched her carefully. "Naomi! I thought you left! I would have never recognized you if it weren't for your eyes." he took a couple of steps closer, but she backed away.

"Paul?" she whispered, clearly shocked. "You gotta be kidding me" she was shaking her head negatively while she kept backing up.

What the hell is going on here? Why is she afraid of Paul? What did he do to her?

"Haven't you missed me at all babe" he continued as he stretched his hands out for a hug. Babe? Did they…No…impossible.

"No Paul I haven't." she forced out. She was visibly tensed now. Something happened between these two and I wanted to know what it was.

"Oh C'mon, you know you did. You know you missed me. Don't you want a repeat?" he asked with a cocky grin on his face. His tone had a hint of a secret, one that only those two shared. Son of a bitch, what the hell did he do!

"Over my dead body" she breathed through her clenched teeth. She was upset now. Her breathing was coming rapidly and she had her fist in a ball. She was looking a lot like us.

"Not dead, then you wouldn't be responsive babe. No fun in that" Paul said as he stopped right in front of her, a malignant smile on his face.

"Go fuck yourself Paul. I didn't need your help." She was starting to shake now, her body vibrating slightly. Her heart rate was rapidly increasing. I looked up to notice the rest of the guys amazed, not only because of the confrontation between her and Paul, but because of her visible wolf signs.

Paul stretched his hands to touch her face but she instinctively pulled back slapping his hands away. "Don't. Touch. Me." She spat harshly. As always, Paul didn't take well to being hit. His body started shaking and he started breathing heavily as his veins began the bulge out on his neck. He caught her by surprise. His sudden change in mood seemed to have brought her back from her anger. She was backing away from him, looking scared. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest. She struggled without any success.

I took one long stride, grabbed his arm and pulled him off her in an instant "Get away from her!" I yelled at him. I shoved him towards the guys, standing in between him and her. He was dangerously close to losing control. He was taking deep breaths, trying to control the wolf inside. Once he was under control he looked at both of us and just walked away. I turned around to see if Naomi was okay. She looked startled and confused.

"You okay?" I asked concerned, trying to keep my hands away from caressing her face, from grabbing her hands and pulling her into my aching arms.

"Yeah." She whispered "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get mad. I don't usually… I… don't…" she trailed off. "I'm sorry. I have to go…see you later? Maybe?" she asked. She looked frighten. Maybe the encounter with Paul scared her more than I thought. Or maybe he brought back unwanted memories.

"Yeah. Later." I said. She smiled and slowly jogged away. She even jogged beautifully. Could she be showing signs of the wolf gene or was it just her anger? I mean, Paul was fully capable of angering anyone.

"Dude, did you just imprint?" I turned around to see Embry's smiling face. Imprint?

Oh! Did I just imprint? I felt drawn to her. I felt a need to hold her. No. I couldn't have. I love Bella. She's my soul mate. I will never imprint. I can't. Bella needs me. With that leech hovering around, I can't be distracted now. I knew my opportunity to make her fall in love with me would come soon. She would finally see that I'm her better option. She'll see that we are meant to be together. I will not imprint!

"Did you?" Sam asked as he appeared right next to Embry.

"I don't know" I answered honestly. I thought that if I ever imprinted I would know immediately. I would feel the tilt and pull that Sam felt. But the things I did feel for her were strange. How could I feel all that I felt when she was near me? The need to want to hold her, the urge to hug her tightly and never let go. I was definitely confused. Could I have imprinted?

"I think she might be one of us" Embry whispered as he looked towards the path she had taken just a couple of minutes ago.

"I think so too" I said. Sam nodded in agreement silently telling us that we would have to keep an eye on her.

It would be my pleasure.

No wait! No pleasure. Just Duty! Remember I love Bella.

I have a sinking feeling my life just got a lot more complicated.

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**So what did you guys think of this first chapter?**

**is it good? Decent? Oh god, don't tell me it sucks?**

**Maybe you noticed that I tweaked the time frame a little and made them all phase a lot sooner. just pointing it out lol**

**BTW I do have another story going on…you know…just in case any of you want to check it out…just saying**

*****DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!*****


	2. Secrets and Confrontations

**A/N: I've changed her name! IDK why but Mia just wasn't working for me anymore. So I went with Naomi. Don't know why but I felt like I needed to change her name. Oh well it's done. For the song of the chapter, um well I liked the beat. I really don't recommend you go out and read the lyrics because they are kind of bold but I liked the song.**

**BOOM! It's on! By Ying Yang Twins**

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**Secrets and Confrontations**

**Chapter 2**

I wouldn't allow myself to think about her. I didn't want to. But the pack would not allow it. After the BBQ on Friday they spent all Saturday talking about her, bringing her up in every single conversation. It was like they made it their sole purpose not to allow me to forget her eyes or her soft skin. Or the surprising need to hold her that just kept growing the more they talked about her. The softness of her touch was engraved in my skin.

That same Saturday, Sam called a meeting. Everyone was there, the pack, the elders, even our spiritual guide. The possibilities of having a second female wolf were enough to cause major commotion between everyone. Especially Leah, she seemed a little more interested in the meeting than usual. She was fidgeting and seemed a bit tensed, unlike her usual self. I like to think that I sort of know her and understand her turmoil over the whole Sam/Emily thing. I'm sure right now she is feeling a little excited for having an opportunity to have a female with her but also sorry for the girl who would lose her life.

I have to admit, being a wolf isn't entirely bad. Every since we started phasing, the elders have become more active in our community. My dad has become fully involved in raising money and providing for "the protectors". Which I have to admit was kind of cool. I have never seen him so confident or determined. He would lay his eye on a certain donor or grant and he got it. Or at least that's what he said. Half the time I didn't know where he got the money from. Maybe he was part of some underground movement. Or maybe he was just good at what he does. I don't know; don't really care, as long as he was happy and content, I'm satisfied. He was currently taking some financing classes to help him understand the manageability of money in a community. My dad is chairman of the Quileute Tribe. He along with Old Quil, help run our community smoothly, giving our people the safety and security we need. And of lately, our tribe has started to flourish, becoming involved in trade and small businesses.

For a very long time after my mom's death and after his diabetes, he didn't fully participate in his role. He allowed Old Quil to step in and take over for a while. He felt he wouldn't be able to take care of his people the way he wasn't able to take care of his family. I always called him out on the bullshit but he ignored my words. Until one day I asked if he thought I was a failure. I told him I was who I was because _he_ raised me. So ultimately, if he thought he was a failure as a husband and father, then I would be a failure as a son as well. He was silently shocked and maybe even hurt. He kept to himself for almost a week. I felt terrible for having been so blunt on the subject. But I felt that he needed it. As hard as it was to hear the truth, we didn't need anything sugarcoated. It only made it that much harder to accept later. It hurt more than I would have thought to know I was a failure to my own father. I knew I wasn't the best company sometimes, but I wasn't that bad, right? Not worst than Paul or Leah. During this confrontation I wasn't a wolf yet. But it still hurt to think about it.

Four days later after our disagreement, we were eating our separately prepared meals when I heard his whisper.

"If you are what you are because I raised you son, then I must be a pretty good darn father." He breathed with a smile I'd missed for a long time. "I have never been so proud. You would never be a failure to me Jacob, never. You remember that son. Always remember that." and as mushy as it sounds, I went over and gave my dad a strong hug. It was a rare father son moment that I would always remember. My dad was proud. I wasn't a failure.

After that he slowly became more involved, learning and catching up with Old Quil. But after we started phasing, all the council members became extremely active, a gesture we all appreciated. Really we did. If we needed anything they would get it for us. They felt the need to provide us with our everyday necessities, even those necessities that weren't really needed but only wanted by us teen wolfs. We tried not to take advantage of this but sometimes it was hard. Say for example, as growing wolfs, our beds were too small, so they so kindly upgraded our twin sized beds to queen if not king, depending on the size of your room. My room was sort of small but seeing that I only needed it to sleep, I got a king. Leaving nearly no space to walk around. I'd have to work on that, expand my room and maybe take over one of my sisters or something. Yeah that sounds good. Expand.

"Earth to Jacob! Come in. Earth to Jacob" I heard from my right, bringing me back from my reminiscing thoughts.

"What do you want Seth" I grunted. But he only smiled as he continued to talk

"You've been awfully quite. You thinking of her?" he asked.

"I'm not thinking about her Seth. She means nothing. I just met her yesterday and before you ask, No I did not imprint" I said. I hated hearing every one ask me that same fucken question over and over again.

"Uuuhh, actually I was referring to Bella but if Naomi is on your head that's…uuu…good too…I think."

"Go away Seth" I grunted annoyed.

"Whatever Jake and just to let you know, some of the guys are talking about forming some sort of relationship with her, you know to keep an eye on her. But I think some just want an opportunity to date her, since you didn't imprint on her or anything. Just uumm…so you know… just in case…" he trailed off. He just stood there watching me and then turned around and left.

So suddenly she was available? She wasn't off limits anymore? They're all dicks! Not more than 24 hours ago she was off limits and was more like a sister to them, believing she was my imprint. But as soon as I phased and Sam confirmed I _didn't_ imprint, she became available. But she wasn't going to date any of them. In fact, none of them were going to get anywhere near her. I would make sure off that. Just cuz I didn't imprint doesn't mean she isn't off…

No, wait. It doesn't matter. She can date whoever she wants. I don't care. I have Bella. I do. She can do whatever she want, even date the fucken un-loyal bastards I have as friend. It's not like I care. She means nothing to me. It was perfectly fine with me if she dated. She could date anyone…she wants…she's free.

Someone cleared their throat rather loudly before speaking "Would everyone take a seat and quiet down please. Thank you." my dad said.

"It has come to our attention that there is someone else showing signs and more importantly, that someone is a she. Would anyone care to elaborate on this?" he asked us. We were currently all spread out over my living room. While the council members where all sitting by the table, facing us.

"We're not entirely sure if she might be one of us, but we thought it would be best if we kept an eye out for her." Sam said "After Jake crashed into her, she and Paul seemed to have disagreed on something and she started shaking and huffing like …well …like we do. Then again she might just have a temper."

"Son, you crashed into her?" out all of the things Sam just said, he choose this small detail to point out.

"Yeah! He ran straight into her! It was sort of comical really. She couldn't breathe and Jacob looked like he wanted to help but was too afraid to touch her! You can tell he's never had a girlfriend before!" Jared said laughing.

I kept quiet. It was in my best interest to keep my boiling anger from getting the best of me. "Yes I did. But it was an accident, which she admitted was her fault too" I said defending myself.

"Does anyone know who she is?" Old Quil asked.

"I do" a deep rough voice said from the back of the room. I suppressed a growl and kept my gaze to the floor. "Her name is Naomi Avery Wood." Paul said.

"Wood, Wood, why does that sound so familiar?" my dad said thinking out loud.

"You mean Wood as in the daughter of Anthony Wood?"Asked Old Quil.

"All I know is that her dad is a police officer." Paul answered "she kept threatening to have me arrested" he whispered more to himself more than anyone else. But we all heard. It's a wolf thing.

"Shit! Is that Kevin's kid sister?" Leah exclaimed. Everyone else in the room just kept looking back and forth between them, including me. Does everyone remember this girl except me?

"Leah! Watch your language" Sue warned.

"How can this be? She's not even…their mom isn't…she's not…"Old Quil muttered

"…Quileute?" Paul finished. Murmurs and whispers broke out between everyone.

How could this be? A non Quileute turning into a wolf, maybe we interpreted things wrong and she just had anger issues.

"But she is. She's half Quileute and half Dene. She's descendant of a First Nation tribe." Leah said

"She's like me. I'm Quileute and Makah and here I am, phasing into a giant wolf." Embry pointed out.

"Yes but you're a man. If someone is suppose to be phasing in that family, it would be Kevin not her." Old Quil said.

"Just because she's a woman does not mean she can't receive the gene as well. Look at my daughter for example. You don't see her having any problems phasing" Sue said defensively. You'd think they just insulted her. I mean Old Quil, whether conscious of it or not, indirectly insulted the only women in this meeting. And let me tell you, Sue and Leah are the last people you want to insult.

"All I'm saying is that Kevin would be the one phasing, he is the oldest and…"

"… and he isn't here. He is in California."Leah interrupted "Maybe both would have phased, just like Seth and I" she continued visibly irritated.

"It doesn't matter who should have phased. What we have to do is figure out if she will even phase at all." Billy said trying to calm the increasing tension. "You haven't said anything Ian, what do you think?"

Ian was our Spiritual Guide. He initially helped us all out when we first phased. He led us through the path of good, allowing us to understand and accept our destiny. He also had communication with the spirits during his meditations or dreams. Which I thought was kind of creepy and useless, until I phased. Aside from the whole I-talk-to-the-dead thing, he is actually pretty funny and laid back. Just like my dad, trying to fit in with the new generation. What a couple of old farts.

He smiled and watched us curiously, but his gaze lingered on me the most. His eyes bright with knowledge and his smile secretive, as if he knew something we should know as well. "I'm just letting you guys brainstorm" he said.

He smiled once again and returned his gaze to the rest of the pack. What the hell was he smiling about? I don't like that smile! It reminded me too much of Paul's secretive smile that day on the beach. I fucken hate secrets.

"Is that all you have to say Old Man? What? don't tell us you didn't see her coming? You pretty much knew who was phasing next without any symptoms being present. What happened with this one?" Quil asked. We all called him that, he didn't seem to mind. It just felt kind of weird calling him by his first name. You know the whole respect your elder's thing. But I guess that went out the window when we started calling him Old Man.

"Oh, but you are wrong Jr. I did see her. In fact, the spirits told me she'll be…essential…for the pack." He said making Quil grunt. He hated being called Jr.

"And why haven't we been informed Ian" Old Quil asked.

"No one asked." Ian responded nonchalantly. "Besides she won't phase anytime soon. She just started showing sings last month. That's why she's back. Her mom thought that Naomi finally hit the teen rebellious stage and she was getting out of hand. So she sent her to her dad. She's been back for almost a month and is going to start school with the rest of you."

"How do you know all this?" I asked. He seemed to be well informed.

"Like I said, I have connections kid" he replied.

"Is that the kind of information you get from the spirits?" I asked shocked

"Of course not! I heard all this down at the coffee shop. Nothing happens in La Push that doesn't go through the shop first." He said. That sounds reasonable. I'm surprised they don't know about us yet.

Billy let out a small laugh before bringing the attention back to himself. "This is what we're going to do. One of you guys is going to befriend her….

"Preferably Jacob… or Leah… either one…" Ian interrupted watching me as he said this, adding Leah's name almost as a second thought, or at least that what it sounded like.

"…Ian!"Billy groaned "Where was I? Oh yes, you'll be friends with her and watch for any signs and I'll go talk to Toni. Start hanging out again."

"Yah dad, you've been kicking it with Charlie too much, you forgot all about Toni" I said.

"No I haven't, Toni just works a lot" he countered

"As fun as it is watching this father and son moment, I sort of have things to do, is the meeting over" Paul asked.

"It's officially over Paul. Sam, please make sure to figure out the details." My dad said. Everyone stood up and started evacuating my house. Finally I would get some shut eye! I stood up from my seat and started walking to my room. My king size bed was waiting for me, with soft thick comforters. I could feel my eyes lids dropping on their own. I hadn't realized I was this tired. But it was reasonable. I wasn't able to sleep at all last night. My thoughts would always be interrupted with an image of _her. _I wanted to call Bella last night but for some reason every time I was going to try and call her, my mind brought her up. Either that or my phone would ring and on the other side, a pack member would be asking me about her, even though I had already answered all their questions. But today was going to be different. I was so tired, not even her beautiful eyes would keep me from sleeping. My feet moved unconsciously towards my room.

"Jake, could you come outside for a minute" I heard Sam asked from the door. Urg. Fuck my life. Can't I just go to sleep! I reluctantly turned around and walked outside were the entire pack was waiting.

"This will be quick. I think Leah would have a better chance of becoming her friend, since she knows her brother" Sam said. He sounded a bit irritated or annoyed. I wonder. Was it because Leah seemed to know Naomi's brother in a deeper sense than just acquaintance?

"But after she goes to school, it'll be up to you guys to keep an eye out for her." He continued.

"That won't be a problem. I'll do it" Paul said.

"No!" I said. He's not going to be her friend. He's not even going to look at her. I refuse to have him anywhere near her! He won't…

"You don't decide Jacob!" he growled.

"Haven't you forgotten she hates your fucken guts!" I said through my clenched jaw, taking a few steps closer to him. He is not going to...

"Fuck you Jake! She's not your imprint. She can befriend whoever she wants" he said. I hate this guy. I could feel my body trembling and the tingling sensation that usually rushed through my body before I phased. No one was capable of making my blood boil like this. Actually there was one more person. Pansy ass Edward.

"Shut up! You're both pathetic" Embry said taking a step in between us. "Leah will introduce us. That way we'll all watch her"

"Excellent! Now that that's resolved, we can get going. Jared, Quil you guys are running patrol right?" Sam asked.

"Yes" they both answered together.

"I'll get you later Jacob" Paul warned.

"How 'bout now?" I countered, closing the distance between us. I could really use this fight. It would be my pleasure to finally give him several broken bones and a set of purple eyes. My hands ached to punch him hard in the face. It would also help me relieve all this pent up anger I have.

"Bring it!"He growled as our faces were inches away, fuming over each other, our bodies trembling uncontrollably.

"Enough! Go to sleep Jacob and you Paul, go home!" Sam ordered, pulling us apart. Paul just smiled wickedly as he turned around and left.

"Let's see if you can keep me away from her" he whispered. Any other human ear wouldn't have picked that up.

But I did and so did every wolf in the property.

A low growl emanated from my throat. He just threatened the wrong wolf.

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**OH! If he didn't imprint then why does he feel so...protective...or why is he being so territorial lol ! :D **

**Let me know what you think!**

**I'm trying to make it interesting and such, but I know so far it's pretty much filler, be patient while we get to the good parts . If you have any ideas that you would like to see, don't be shy and let me now I'll try and figure out a way to incorporate them into the story. (If you like) :D**


	3. Meet skittles

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. I know this story doesn't seem as interesting, but I can assure you I have good plans for it. I'm just trying to get Naomi's (Nimi) and Jake's relationship to develop realistically. And to do that, you need to know a little about the OC. I know that some of you might not like how i started the story with Jake still being obsessed with Bella, but it will be an interesting thing to touch upon when he starts hanging out more with Nimi. There's good drama coming up, I promise. :D Okay, enough babling enjoy. **

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Chapter 3: Meet "skittles"

Music blaring from the stereo, allowing myself to feel the vibrations and rhythm of the song, I tried to clear my head. I love music. Music is the best way to tell someone how you feel when you can't find the right words. Whether it's anger, love or sadness, you could find a song that described your feelings perfectly. There is always an ideal song that spoke your mind so clearly it made you want to cry. Or the song that told your story to perfection, you couldn't help but listen to over and over again. You could always relate music to a part of your life, always. For example, when I was younger and my parents were together, they used to listen to "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers. And every time I hear that song, it feels like I'm six again and my parents are seating together in the living room watching "Ghost". It never fails to make my heart ache.

Or even during my first year of middle school when "I'm a slave 4 U" by Britney Spears was a hit. Wow, that song brought back memories, the good old days. I remember it like it was yesterday when Paul and I were watching MTV and the music video came on. Paul was being his usual self and started imitating Britney, dancing and singing like an idiot. He looked so funny trying to be sexy, moving his body slowly towards me with his "sexy" face on, it only made me laugh harder. When he eventually got tired of trying to catch my attention to watch his next move, he gave up, dropping himself into my couch. I felt bad because I thought I hurt his feelings. So I apologized and got closer, only to be tackled with tickles from the non merciful best friend I had.

Had.

No more.

The next year was the worst year of my life. I don't know what happened, we just split up. We went our separate ways. Maybe we developed different hobbies or interested. It doesn't matter anymore. It's all in the past.

But it's not.

Didn't I just bump into him a couple of days ago? He was there and he talked to me! The idiot actually thought I would forgive and forget so easily! The nerve! Okay, so maybe I exaggerated a little. Okay a lot. But he just makes me so mad! I have never felt so angry. I could feel the rage building up in my chest threatening to overcome the little control I had. I felt like someone else had taken control. Nothing mattered during that moment. Everyone there seemed to have disappeared as my anger boiled to the surface. I never thought I would be capable of nurturing such strong negative feelings.

Maybe the fact that he had completely caught me off guard had something to do with it. I didn't expect to run into him so soon, well at least not until I returned to school. But bumping into him at the beach during one of my regular jogs was completely unexpected. Why? I don't know. Considering this is a very small town, you'd think I'd prepare myself for something like this. My dad probably threw me of though. When I asked him about Paul as indifferently as I could, he said he hadn't seen him in a while. But now I realized that the reason he might not have seen him was that he was too busy cruising Forks in search for bad guys. Hence, I found myself in the beach in front of him boiling in rage, trying to keep myself from punching him when he made _that_ comment. How dare he bring it up! And in front of people too! The memory of what happened that day in Forks was still burned in my head. If things were bad between us before, things just went down the toilet after that. I was in Forks with my brother helping our dad shop for groceries and doing some wondering of our own. We decided to split up for an hour to get our own stuff when…

No. I didn't want to think about it. It reminded me to much of what I lost. Maybe I'd be able to remember one day without the regret and remorse, without the pain.

With a grunt I picked up my empty plate of corn flakes and placed it in the sink. I returned to my seat by the center island and played with a red apple, rolling it back and forth with one finger, listening to the new song that started playing. And for some strange, incomprehensible reason _his_ face started popping into my thoughts. I could clearly hear his apologetic voice and see the concern that showed in his beautiful deep brown eyes.

"…If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today…"

His touched was engraved in my hand. And just thinking about it made me feel jittery all over, sending and electrical slightly joyful shock through me. And I didn't even know his name!

"…if you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way…"

The way his hands seemed to engulf mine, it was perfect. The feeling of having him cradle my hands in his, surrounded by his warmth was burned in my mind.

"…If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call…"

I craved for his warmth, the smile I knew those tempting lips of his could give me.

"…if you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all…"

Stop it! Stop it now! Why am I thinking about him? Why am I comparing him to this song? I just met him and thanks to him I know have a bruised abdomen that hurt too much to run. He would be held responsible if I was out of shape when I tried out for the girls' soccer team. But it wasn't his fault. I should have ignored the txt. Honestly, who runs and txt at the same time? Me! And look what that got me. It's kind of embarrassing though now that I remember. He fell on top of me. All six foot something of him! His body was hard and toned. I remember feeling his chest against my hands when I tried removing them from between us. Oh how wonderful would it be to caress his chest!

"…I don't wanna run away but I can't take it I don't understand…"

Wait! What! Oh God! I've lost my mind! Now I'm daydreaming about a guy a barely even now…scratch that… I guy I don't know, only because of his spectacular body. Don't forget the arms! The tanned muscular arms he so easily used to pick me up from the floor. Oh his arms!

URRGG! There I go again, getting sidetracked.

"…If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am…is there any way that I can stay in your arms…"

Yeah, stay in his arms. A sigh escaped my lips as my mind started to wonder again. I have to distract myself. If I just sit here all day there is no way in hell I'm going to end the day with my sanity intact. Maybe I should watch some movies. I've been dying to see "House of flying daggers" again and maybe after that I could figure out a way to run without the discomfort.

I was half way up the stairs when a sudden knock came from the front door. Who could that be? It's probably dad who forgot the keys. But why would dad be home right now? It's barely past noon. I walked down slowly, unsure if I heard the knocks or not. I couldn't hear anything coming from the other side. Maybe I'm really going crazy, I thought as I turned back around to head up the stairs.

Knock, knock, knock.

I spun around almost falling off the stairs. Okay so maybe I'm not going crazy.

"…coming!" I yelled out as I walked back down. I could see a shadow moving on the other side of the door. It was a little nerve wrecking not knowing who could be on the other side. I didn't have any friends or family that would suddenly drop by for a visit. I had no idea of who it could be and it was causing my heart to beat faster. I turned the knob of my front door slowly pulling it ajar cautiously to see the intruder just in case he/she might be dangerous. Hey, one could never be too cautious, even in a small town like La Push. I beautiful girl stood in my front porch leaning into the railing anxiously. She looked familiar but I couldn't place her face.

"Finally! I thought there was no one home!" she said pushing herself off the railing. She stopped in front of me a smirk on her face "you don't remember me do you?" she asked. Should I remember her? How could I possibly know her, she looked older than me so she couldn't be a friend from when I used to live here. So who could she be?

"…guess that's a no" she said as she pushed herself past me into my house. She looked around before taking a seat on my couch.

"Sorry but my brain isn't good with people" I said still confused as to how she had ended up on my sofa looking so comfortable, as if she had done the exact same thing countless of times.

"Your Kevin's little sister, right?" she asked suddenly standing up and coming closer.

"Depends, who's asking?" I probed. Why was she suddenly asking about my brother? She looked irritated. Maybe I shouldn't have allowed her to just step into my house like that. She could be a fugitive psychopath pretending to be someone else. I looked her over once, trying to size her up in case I needed to defend myself. She was a little taller than me lean and strong. Looks like she works out, I thought, but so do I. I think I could handle myself in case she became aggressive.

"The pregnant ex-girlfriend your brother left behind!" she said dangerously getting closer to me.

"Oh" I breathed confused. My brother…ex-girlfriend…since when?...Pregnant? OH! But how… I mean…he wasn't even…maybe…no…when?

"Impossible" I said. There is no way my brother got this girl pregnant. He was in California for heavens' sake!

She burst out laughing "took you a while!" she said. Okay, now I'm completely confused. She was kidding? Of course she was!

I gave her an irritated smile as I walked over to the lazy boy to sit. She followed and took her spot still clutching her stomach.

"I'm sorry, your just too easy" she said when she was finally under control."I'm Leah. You ran into my friend the other day" she said.

I ran into her friend? HUH? Oh! The beach!

I groaned "you saw that?" I asked.

"We all did" she answered "Highlight of the day actually"

"You guys enjoyed making fun of me?"

"Not you, Jake" she said. So that's his name "you have no idea how much the guys teased him about that" she continued.

"I can only imagine." I said. No I couldn't. Why would they even been making fun of him. Cuz he crashed into a girl?

"So…how do you know my brother" I asked

"Oh, um well we used to hand out, same group of friends in high school." She said watching her hands as her fingers intertwined "Kev was always such a dork. He still in Cali?" she asked turning around to face me. And then I saw it. The deep brown eyes, the beautiful seductive yet shy smile. She was…she was…Oh my god!

"Skittles?" I asked. A surprised looked crossed her face as I used the nickname my brother gave her, but she quickly composed herself.

"That's me" she said

"Oh my god you look so different. The last time I saw you I was in seventh grade!" I said excitedly. "Oh my god!" I continued. She's changed. She's a beautiful woman with an amazing body. But there was also something different about her, a certain maturity that could only be obtained with the harsh blows of life.

"That bad huh?" she asked.

"No! You look great!" I quickly said "I'm just stunned. I know I didn't see you a lot, just a couple of times. It just felt like I knew you cuz Kev was always talking about you" I said "it was an ongoing skittle this skittle that… and well you know" I said trailing off.

"He talked about me that much?" she asked amused, but there was a small hint of interest in her voice.

"Well you know the usual. Weren't you guys like BFF's or something?" I asked trying to side step the question. I didn't want my brother to look like he obsessed over her, even if I thought he did.

"Yeah kind of" she said distractedly. She seemed to be remembering something because she had a small smile on her lips. She suddenly looked up at me all signs of a smile gone. "Look the reason I came over was to invite you over to my place. I noticed that you like to run. So I thought maybe we could be running partners or something. Besides, when I told my brother who you were he wanted me to bring you over, he adored your brother." She said.

"Adored?"

"Well, when Kev used to come over he would play video games with him all the time, that's why" She pulled her foot from underneath her butt and rested it on the floor.

"Huh, how I old is he?"

"He's around your age now" she said as she stood up restlessly. "You coming?"

"Is not like I have anything better to do" I said under my breath.

"Great…lets go." She said taking off towards the door "oh by the way I kind of sort of ran here"

I looked at her dumbfounded. Great! "It's okay, I haven't jogged today." Guess I'ma find out how much I _can _run.

I grabbed my phone and keys before I walked out of the house. Pulling my abdomen muscles as tight as I could I jogged behind Leah at a constant pace. It's not that the pain from the bruises were intense, they were more bothersome than anything. Especially when I took deep breathes in, forcing myself to expand my stomach muscles. I figured her house wouldn't' be that far, considering its La Push. But we jogged for approximately ten minutes and there were no signs of coming to a stop any time soon. I wasn't exhausted. I was just really uncomfortable. Every step I took caused my core to flex, sending another spasm of pain. The constant throbbing was becoming tiresome and painful.

I looked up, watching Leah jog gracefully up ahead, not a single sign of exhaustion. I was lagging it behind her, struggling to avoid the holes in the dirt path and prevent pain from seizing my core. Well, I didn't do a good job of it. I was momentarily distracted by Leah. Her head suddenly snapped up from her concentration on the road. Her gaze locked towards the forest. Curiosity caught the best of me and I too looked over. Dark shadows blurred through the trees. Adrenaline shot threw my body as I grasped what I was seeing. What could be running so fast? Oh God! Could it be the bears? My dad warned me to stay out of the forest. There have been signs of bears lurking around. I looked up at Leah, her gaze still locked on the forest. It looked like her mouth was moving but I couldn't hear anything, her lips parting slightly, barely separating from each other. I looked over the forest one more time, only to notice the moving shadows disappear into the thick array of dark mossy trees. I was getting ready to bring my gaze back to Leah to ask her what the hell was that, when my foot landed on a rather deep hole, causing me to lose my balance and stumble forward. My body jerked involuntarily with the uneven road. My hands flew forward, trying to catch my balance and prevent myself from a terrible fall. Pain shot threw my aching abdomen muscles as my legs staggered to a stop. I clutched my abdomen and struggled to keep a groan of pain from escaping my mouth. I failed miserably.

Leah must have heard me, for she turned around and quickly came back. I was leaning my left hand on my thigh as I hugged myself with the right.

"What the hell! Did you fall?" Leah asked, her breathing coming low and evenly. It's as she hadn't been running at all.

"No. I almost did though" My breathing on the other hand was a bit hoarse. Considering the jog and the pain I didn't expect anything else.

"What the hell happened then?"

"I stepped on a hole" I tried standing up but I felt the muscles moving as I pulled up. That meant more pain.

"Oh. But you're okay right?" she asked. I nodded in confirmation. She turned around to continue her jog and called over her shoulders for me to follow her.

As I tried to straighten up to jog behind her, I felt the pain coursing through my stomach. It was the kind of pain that you get when you make the wrong move and you pull a muscle. After that, any movement, whether wrong or right, causes pain to prevent the movement at all. I kept my stance as I watched Leah continue on her way. I took a deep breath, willing myself to continue. How the hell am I suppose to join the soccer team if any pathetic bruise can stop me? No. I will not allow it.

With sudden determination I straighten up suddenly, regretting it almost instantly. The pain was like nothing I've ever felt before. It almost felt as if I had broken something. But I knew that wasn't the case. If I had, I wouldn't be able to move. It was my stupid weak muscles. I muffled a cry of pain as I hugged myself, trying to apply pressure to the burning area.

"I thought you were okay?" Leah called from where she had stopped some ten feet away.

"Me too" I said. She jogged back to my spot, watching me with an irritated expression on her face. There goes my running partner.

"What's wrong?" she asked

"My stomach hurt like hell." I applied more pressure on myself. I had no idea that talking caused your stomach to move as well. Shit! I bet everything uses some part of the abdomen.

"Let me see" she said as she reached over to my shirt and pulled it up. A shocked gasp escaped her lips as she saw my lean stomach.

"I know, I work out" I said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes with a smirk on "Cocky bitch! Why the hell do you have a huge bruise on your side?" she asked. I unwillingly dropped my hands to my sides, allowing her to lift the shirt a little more.

"Shit! Look at that! It's all over your left rib. Did you break it?"

"No. I don't think so." How embarrassing!

"Then how did you…" she trailed as if suddenly remembering something. "Damn, that's what he did to you? Wow, must have been one hell of a crash" she said. Damn, I was hoping she wouldn't guess right.

"Look it's not his fault I should have…"

"Yeah, Yeah I heard that already, doesn't take away the pain and that ugly thing you got." She said as she dropped my shirt "why didn't you tell me? We could have walked or hitched a ride or something."

"I don't know. I guess I wanted to see if I could prevent the pain. Besides I need to run, tryouts for soccer are a week after school starts again. I need to be ready" I said.

"You play soccer?"

"Yes! I love soccer"

"I used to play" she said "come on were walking the rest of the way"

"No. let's try jogging. I want to try it out. How am I supposed to learn how to suck it up. If this happened during a game I would most likely get pulled out if they noticed."

"You sure?" her left eyebrow shot up with the question.

"Yeah" I sucked in my stomach once again, trying to pull in my muscles tightly. I took first step and suppressed the pain. After jogging a couple of feet, I got the hang of it. As long as I kept my muscle tight and moved my upper body as little as I could, I would be okay. Leah jogged by my side as she watched me curiously.

"Nice belly ring by the way."I couldn't prevent the heat that rushed to my face. Thank goodness she continued "What position do you play?"

"Midfield. My old coach would move me around but mostly just midfield." I answered. Small lightning's of pains were shooting threw my left side as a spoke. But nothing I couldn't handle. Suck it up. I've gotten the air knocked out of me before, this can't be that bad.

"I use to play forward, and on certain occasions I would play defender" she said "I loved getting rid of the other team's forwards. It's amazing just taking the ball away from them like nothing. I liked scoring as much as I loved dropping people on the floor."

I laughed "Me too! Coach use to put me as sweeper and I would just charge when their forward got past our defense, I would laugh when they backed of thinking I was going to crash into them."

"Yeah, it was fun." She looked up and pointed to a house in the distance "You see that house over there? That's my house, were almost there" she said

"Does it hurt a lot?"

"A little, I'm trying not to think of it." I said. A sudden thought crossed my mind and I almost pulled myself to a stop "hey, are we going to be the only ones in your house?"

"uuummm, most likely. Usually the guys are over at Emily's."

"Oh, okay, good. I'm not prepared for mingling" I said with a laugh, tightening my stomach as the expected pain shot threw me.

We jogged in silence the rest of the way. It only took us about five more minutes to reach her house. We walked in through the back of the house straight to the kitchen. Leah grabbed two bottles of water and gave me one. She walked towards the living room, motioning me to follows. A lean tall boy was sitting on the couch playing Xbox. He never once took his gaze away from the screen as we walked in. He said a rushed "hey" as Leah walked over to the couch. I trailed right behind her, taking my spot behind the couch. I doubt that he saw me.

"Seth, this is Naomi, Kevin's sister." Leah said. He abruptly looked up from the game and looked at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you!" he stood up and leaned over the sofa to pull me into an awkward hug.

"Nice to meet you" I said

"Yeah, good to meet Kev sister, why didn't I ever meet you before? That's kind of weird" he said pulling away from me.

"Well, I went to school in Forks. I never really attended any of La Push educational buildings" I said

"Oh. But he could have brought you over" he said. Loud noise and shooting came from the TV as a deep voiced announced "Flag robbed!" and the blue character collapsed to the floor with a grunt.

"Oh man!" Seth whined. He took the control again and continued to play. Leah smiled and pulled me up the stairs to her room.

Her room was light shade of grey. Her walls were bare of anything other than one family portrait over the beds headboard and a small whiteboard hidden behind the door. A splash of color came into the room with the dark blue curtains. I assumed designed to keep the sun's rays out. As if we ever had any. A small dresser opposite the queen sized bed held her possessions. A window opposite the door stood slightly ajar, blowing the scent of rain inside. It felt comforting and welcoming, a little to plain for me but still nice and cozy.

She sat on her bed and I on a small been bag next to the window. We talked like old friends. There was the occasional awkward silence but soon one of us continued the conversation. She asked me where I'd been all these years. I explained to her that after seventh grade, I wanted to live with my mom, so I moved to North Carolina with her. I spent my last year of Jr. High and my first two years of high school over there, interacting with her three step kids. It wasn't that bad. After I ignored my conscious yelling at me to hate them because they had stolen my mother, I could actually hold a decent conversation. My mom married Joseph three years after the divorce. I was in fourth grade when my world came crashing. My perfect family destroyed. But I didn't feel that bad because my parents split up and continued to be friends. I do believe that this was one of the very few friendly divorces. In fact they still talk on occasions.

Joseph came with a family package. Three kids, two boys and one girl, Daniel 20, Isaac 18 and Elizabeth 16. They were actually really fun to be with. They were a family of Mexican American background, owning and operating two different restaurants specializing in both cultures food. I perfected my Spanish living with them those few years. I also widen my taste in music. They introduce me to the world of clubbing, dancing, concerts, movies, café's, street racing and sleepless nights, the average teenage life.

"Why did you come back?" she asked shocked. Why would anyone leave all the good stuff behind and come to live in a boring town with nothing to do like La Push. Yeah, I knew what she was thinking. She didn't need to say it out loud. I could see it in her face.

"Because my conscious was telling me that I left my dad alone for too long."

"Damn conscious, should have never been invented" she said.

A loud bang from downstairs made me jump. Laughter and loud talking rang through the house.

"Seems like we have visitors" Leah said standing up and walking away.

"Visitors?"

"Guys are here. Let's go downstairs" she was standing by the door way, leaning into the frame with a grin on her face.

"Leah! You said they weren't…." I wasn't able to finish my sentence. She grabbed my hand quicker than I could blink and pulled me out the room.

Oh God please don't let him be here, none of the two. Make them the only two not here. Please!

I guess today wasn't my lucky day, half way down the stairs I looked up an caught two pairs of browns eyes watching me, one with a smile on and the other with a frown.

I'll have to kill skittles after this.

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**There you go! I hope you guys liked it and it wasn't that boring. :(****Like i said, i think I have some good twist to throw your way.**

** I'm not that good with the grammar thing *must have missed class that day* so, If you have any advice, I'm willing to hear it. Just not too harsh plz i do have feelings... :D I'm sure I probably have other mistakes too. **

**IF you guys are wondering why she feels attracted to Jake (besides the fact that he's hot!} and there was no actual imprinting :D well, you will find out in later chapters, where the drama will intensify and things will get exciting. I hope. **

**I'll try to get the story going. Leave a review and let me know what you think. I would appreciate knowing if ppl are actually reading AND enjoying the story. or are at least interested LOL. the HITS/VISITORS thing doesn't satisfy my need to know what ppl think. :D**

**REVIEW!  
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	4. Simple Misunderstanding?

**A/N: :D sorry it took me so long to update! But here is the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it! I sure did. :D **

**Side note: I edit my own chapters. IKD why, it's just easier for me. Anyways, I hope I don't have that many errors. Whether they are grammatical or typos or whatever. It should at least be readable, right? :D **

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**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 4 : "Simple Misunderstanding?"**

As Leah continued to pull me downstairs I couldn't pull my gaze away from the frowning face that Jacob held. He seemed to be considering something as his eyes lingered on me. It almost seemed like he was having an internal conflict, like he was struggling with himself.

_Did he not like me already? I know I crashed into him but it was his fault too! That shouldn't be reason enough to hate me, right? No. there has to be something else bothering him. _

_Or maybe I have something on my face. Oh god I hope not!_

I could hear all the shooting and commands coming from the plasma in the living room, all the grunting of the "men" as they were killed and sniped mercilessly by their opponent. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, Leah finally dropped my hands and rushed towards the sofa. "Get your dirty feet off the coffee table!" she yelled.

The two guys that grabbed a control to play immediately dropped their feet and leaned forward to rest their elbows on their knees, continuing to play as if nothing had happened. "Embry! Jared! Clean up that mud!"

"C'mon Leah, move! I can't see!" One of them complained.

"I don't care Jared! As long as I can see mud in that carpet I'm not moving!" Leah threatened as she planted herself firmly in front of him, shifting her body sideways as he tried to look around her.

"Leah! Fuck!" Jared yelled as he shot up from the sofa, stomping angrily to the restroom. You could hear his curses as bottles and cleaning supplies hit the floor. Embry laughed loudly after Jared's sudden outburst. It only got him a slap on the head from an angry Leah.

"What exactly are you waiting for?"She asked. Her eyes virtually lit on fire as she looked at Embry menacingly. He sprung from his seat in alarming speeds as he made his way towards Jared cursing persona.

Leah smiled wickedly as she watched them scurry around, trying to get the mud of the carpet before it stained. I could clearly see their muddy footprints on the beige carpet, as they formed a trail from the front door towards the couch. I suppressed my laughter as I watched them kneeling on the floor all the while cursing the carpet and Leah.

My attention was suddenly brought back to the pair of eyes watching me from the door when one of them decided to step forward. His eyes shined with his smile as he approached me. I tried to keep my eyes from wondering over his body, from analyzing how much it had change. His taller frame and muscular body was making it hard for me to do exactly that.

"Hey Shorty! Didn't know you'd be here!" He said as he came to a stop at the end of the stairs, only two short steps away from me.

"And I was told you **weren't** going to be here." I countered as I tried to catch Leah's averting eyes. His smile faltered slightly as he took in my attitude. It wasn't something I could suppress. I didn't want to hold it back. He needed to know how much I hated him, how much he'd hurt me. I wasn't going to make it easy for him to walk in to my life again. I still wasn't sure if I wanted him back in it.

I took the last steps off the stairs to avoid whatever comment he was about to make. His mouth opened and closed as soon as I moved. I walked around him, not allowing myself to look his way. As I made my way over to where Leah was standing, I could feel the intensity of someone's eyes on me. The strange sensation you get when you know you're being watched. It was almost impossible to contain myself from looking up and around for those eyes. I was almost certain they belonged to Paul. The way I left him by the stairs was surely stirring some anger in him. He was never fond of being ignored, much less the way I just did.

I kept my eyes locked on Leah's back, trying to push away the urge to look around. Jared and Embry were done but Leah kept pointing out spots that weren't there anymore. Embry kept murmuring to himself as he scrubbed away at yet another spot she pointed out. Leah walked around towards Jared and pointed to some faded dirt her shoes left behind.

"Jared! You missed a spot!" she declared angrily, fully aware that it was her fault.

He eyed her angrily as he shot up from where he was kneeling and threw the dirty rag on the floor. "Fuck you Leah! You do it!"

She just laughed loudly as she pranced over to me happily. "Stop being such a sissy, Jared. Can't handle some tough love?" she teased.

"That's love?" He huffed. "I pity the men you'll ever love!"

"Whatever. Let me introduce you properly!"She said to the rest of them as she reached me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door rapidly, causing me to move my core too quickly. A wave of pain shot down the left side of my abdomen, causing me to wince in pain.

A small grunt escaped my lips as I protested "Skittles!"

She looked alarmed as she realized what she did but quickly averted her gaze to look around at the wide eyed guys staring at us.

"Skittles?" Jared's mocking toned said as his left eyebrow shot up in question.

"Shut up Jared! And if any of you call me that, I swear you'll howl in pain!"

"Ah! C'mon Skittles, it's just a little tough love!"

"You wanna see tough love, Jared?..."she started moving towards him before finishing as he backed away with his hands up in surrender.

"…okay! Okay! I got it! No Skittles!" he said laughing as he ducked behind Jacob.

It seems that this worked for Jared because it brought Leah's attention back to her next victim. "You!"

Jacob looked slightly shocked as he stared at Leah's pointing finger. "Me?"

"No! Little red riding hood behind you!" She said annoyed. "Of course you!" She immediately turned around and took the few steps separating her from me. She dragged me closer to Jacob, who was still standing close to the door, and stopped abruptly.

"Look what you did to her!" She lifted my shirt so suddenly, that it gave me no opportunity to stop her. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment as his eyes widen when he took in my abdomen. His mouth felt slightly ajar as he looked up. His eyes locked with mine, concern and possibly regret filled his orbs, but he swiftly returned them to roaming over my stomach. I can imagine what he saw. I've only seen it every day since I got it. The purple bluish bruise that engulfed the left side of my stomach as its edges meshed in with a yellowish hue. It wasn't pretty, not at all.

"Nice belly ring!" I heard from behind him and Jared. "It's hot!"

I heard a low deep gurgle, emanating something similar to a growl as I tried to look over Jared's shoulders. I looked around for the sound but didn't find its originator. Instead I heard Leah clearing her throat next to me.

"That would be Quil."

A tall lean guy stepped out from behind Jared. He walked over to me, pulling me into a gentle close-to-the-body hug. "The bruise adds its own touch too," he whispered.

Once again I heard that strange inhuman sound, as I tried not to wince with the small jolts of pain. "Leah…do you have a dog? I keep hearing growling…or something like that." I asked.

Laughter broke out from several of the guys as Jacob and Paul both uttered something incomprehensible, too low for me to hear.

"No I don't have a dog but it sure feels like I do." She said as she eyed the guys.

Jacob ignored the continued laughter as he closed the distance between us. His hands reached out to touch me. He leaned down to examine the bruise, extending his hands to touch the outsides of the yellowish hue. I sucked in the air as his fingers touched my skin. It wasn't because of the pain.

His touched sent and electrical, almost thrilling sensation across my stomach, surrounding the area where his fingers lingered. The sensation was one I've never felt before and it was unnerving that someone I didn't know caused such a feeling in me. Yet again it could also be because no one has ever touched me like he just did. In such an intimate way, it made the heat in my face intensify. Well, at least if felt intimate to me. But how could it be if we were surrounded by so many people? He was only touching my stomach for crying out loud! How the hell can that be intimate?

"I'm sorry." He whispered as he continued to linger his hand over the bruise, his light soft caress barely registering to my senses. "I had no idea…I'm…sorry."

It was hard to find my voice and clearing my throat was out of the question. I didn't want any of them to notice the effect he was having on me. Instead I looked at him and smiled, hoping it would reassure him like I wanted it to.

A small timid smile appeared on his lips as he looked at me. His eyes shined with something I wasn't sure I understood. Happiness? Maybe he was feeling relieved that I forgave him so easily. Yes, that must be it. He was feeling relieved.

He stood up from where he was kneeling in front of me with his smile still in place. "Let me make it up to you."

"How the hell do you think you're gonna do that?" Paul interrupted as he stepped in front of me, blocking Jacob from view.

"You could have hurt her!" He took a step closer to him, closing the very small space separating them. "You don't get that kind of bruise without some serious pain, jackass!"

I walked out from behind Paul to look at Jacob. He was just standing there, smile gone, as he averted his gaze from Paul's. He was clearly feeling guilty again.

"I'm sorry. I really am. I never meant to hurt you" His hurt apologetic eyes locked with mine. I could somehow grasp how sorry he was. His eyes were no longer shining with relieve. They were sad and concerned. They were dull.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it." I said taking a step closer to him, placing myself in between him and Paul.

"It's nothing. I've had worst Paul, much worst" I said facing him. All the hurt and anger from these last couple of years were portrayed in these few words. All the hatred I ever felt overcame any friendship I once had for him. I'm sure he caught what I meant. I could see it in his face, the restrained emotion as he sighed and walked away towards the couch.

"Alright enough with the seriousness, time to lighten up things." Seth said as he neared me, throwing his arms over my shoulders possessively. "This is Naomi. Naomi this is the pack.. or umm…gang or whatever… uum…you'll learn their names. Everyone is here except Sam, he's our alp… err….um… the eldest."

"Nice introduction Seth, very detailed" Leah said sarcastically. "Look Shorty, that's Quil, the one who thinks he's got game. That's Embry, too shy to get any. That's Paul, you know him, your regular high school jackass. That's Jared; you're regular wannabe jackass who tries too hard. Collin and Brady, hormonally driven young teenagers, watch out for them. And last we have Jacob, a manipulative love sick puppy who can't…"

"Shut up…Skittles!" Jacob interrupted.

"What the hell did I say about… "

"Has anyone introduced you to her?" Embry asked me before Leah could finish.

"She's the angry, venomously harpy, who doesn't know the first thing about loyalty or friendship! Stay away from her. She'll turn her back on you before you know it." Jacob finished, his anger radiating from every word he spat out.

"Um, okay. That was kind of… heavy." I uttered to myself, but for some odd reason they all heard.

"Great! Now you guys made her think we're psycho!" Quil said looking up from the lazy boy where he was now sitting. "Look babe, we're not what she said. I do have game and well the guys might be a little weird, but you'll grow to like them."

"Don't call her babe!" Paul threatened without once taking his gaze off the screen. He was playing Halo with Embry, while Seth dropped his arm from my shoulders to go and join the game. It seemed they were losing and they needed reinforcement. Seth took the control from Paul and started killing off his red suited opponents. Paul didn't even complain when Seth snatched the control. Apparently he didn't want to lose against a particular player who kept coming after him.

"Fucken idiot won't know what hit 'em" He said, his attention glued to the screen as he snatched Embry's control.

"What the fuck man!" Embry yelled as he punched Paul's arm.

"Stop being a sissy! You're making us lose!" Paul said punching him in the stomach. Embry grunted in pain as he fell back in to the couch.

"Wow, do they do that all the time?" I asked no one in particular.

"Yean. Usually they end in fights. They're pretty calm right now." Leah answered.

"That's calmed? Crap!"

"Jacob usually chickens out though"

"Says the pup that can't kill a fly." He said moving away from us. "I'm using you're restroom."

"No! Go to your house!"

"Nah!" he said as he climbed the stairs two at a time. "Seems like the only one available is the one in your room, Leah. Touch luck!"

"Jacob! You get out of my room right now!" she said taking off after him, leaving me alone. I was just standing there with nowhere to go.

"Sit over here and help me kick Paul's ass" Embry said as he waved his hand, motioning me to come over. He was sitting next to Paul, with an empty space to his left. As I made my way over, to sit in the empty space away from my ex-best friend, Paul's hand suddenly shot out from where he was. He pulled me closer to him and made me sit between him and Embry.

"What the hell Paul!"

"Sit!" was all he said as he continued to shoot down his enemy.

"Forget him Shorty. Don't take it personal. He's always angry and pushy, get use to it." Embry said. I expected Paul to answer or give him some sort of comeback but he did none of those. Instead he kept his concentration on the player as he tried to snipe his approaching enemy.

"Killing spree!" the announcer said after the sniped victim fell to the floor. I watched Seth and Paul play, taking out opponent after opponent. When Paul was sniped eight kills later, he handed the control to Embry. He let himself fall against the back of the couch. Embry continued where Paul left off, leaving me with no one to talk to.

There was an unsettling anticipation surrounding us. It filled the air. The space between all of us. Kind of like silence awkwardness, but instead, it was an expectation, the necessity to talk to a lost friend. I became aware of every movement Paul made, the long shallow breathes he took in. The steady beat of his hand as he tapped it against his thigh. He was fidgeting too much in his seat and was succeeding in making me nervous as well. Finally, with a sharp intake of air he stopped.

"Shorty, can I talk to you?" He asked. I wasn't expecting it. Not so soon. I kind of hoped he would get tired of the awkwardness and just leave. But I didn't think he'd want to talk to me so soon. I wasn't prepared for this. I knew Paul all too well and if he was anything like he was before, he was good with his words. I was sure if I went unprepared, I would forgive him before I even realized what happened.

"No."

But hadn't I been waiting for this moment for three years now? The day I could finally confront him for what he did was here, within reach. I didn't need to prepare. I've been waiting for this so long now. I noticed the noise level in the living room had gone down a notch. I could now hear Leah banging on the door upstairs, shouting for Jacob to get out. The clicking noise the buttons of the controls made when they were being pressed on hard and rapidly.

Paul moved uncomfortably in his seat next to me as he shifted his body to face mine. "Please. We need to talk."

If the noise level in the room had dropped before, it was now non-existing. Quil and Embry starred at Paul as if he had grown a head with a slithery snake tongue. Their wide eyed shocked faces made me want to laugh as they ignored the cries of death coming from the TV.

"Did he just…" Embry started.

'No… not him." Quil continued in shock.

"Hey! Pay attention you're getting mauled out there." Seth interrupted. Both of them quickly averted their eyes back to the screen but you could tell they were now keeping a very careful ear on Paul's pleas.

"Yeah, pay attention and stop being nosy." Jared added. His expression was different though. Not the shocked, out-of-this-world face Embry and Quil were making, but the concerned are-you-okay-bro? kind of expression. He seemed worried for Paul. Maybe this was the first time Paul ever said please. In front of people. I should feel special. Too bad for Paul that I don't.

"Look I know you're angry, but if we talk about it maybe…" he trailed off; waiting for any sign I was even listening. " Whatever I did…"

"Shut up Paul. You wanna talk, let's go outside."

I stood up from my seat, feeling the intensity of four pair of eyes on us as we made our way out the front door. I could feel the nervousness in the air around us. This conversation could change how I lived my life in La Push. If it when well, maybe I could hang out with them without constantly fighting with Paul. If it didn't, I would have to find another group of friends. I didn't want to inconvenience any of them with our differences and constant fighting.

As we walked a good ten feet away from the front door, I came to a stop, causing Paul to almost crash into me.

"Not here, they'll hear us."

I wanted to argue with him, but decided against it. I definitely did not want any of them to hear our conversation if any of us decided to raise our voice.

He stepped around me and walked farther out, closer to the forest line. There were a few fallen logs that would provide for a good seating area, not that we would need them. He stopped when he reached the logs, kicking a small rock into the forest. He took another step closer to the forest and sniffed the air. For what reason? I do not know. All I know is that it was weird. He turned around to face me, visibly more relaxed.

"What the hell was that?" I asked him.

"What was what?"

"That! You sniffed the air." I said pointing to the spot where he had been.

"No I didn't. I was breathing. Don't you breathe?"

"Whatever. You sniffed. I saw it."

"What does it matter? Where here to talk about us." he said exasperated.

"Then start." All the nervous butterflies that had left during our short walk here where suddenly back tenfold. My heart rate increased dramatically as I waited for him to speak. He watched me curiously before taking in a few deep breaths.

"I want to be friends again, like we used to."

Just like that? He was going to ask for my friendship again, without even apologizing first? Or without giving me an ounce of an explanation! Who the hell does he think he is!

"…Really? And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I um… we can start hanging out again, like before." he said taking a few steps closer to me. "We use to have so much fun. Just the two of us, do you remember?"

Of course I remember! He was the only reason I didn't want to move with my mom when my parents first divorced. He was my best friend, my only friend. How could I forget all the times he defended me from other kids. Or the many times he came to watch my games when I was smaller. The way he always managed to make me laugh when I was sad. He was part of my family. He even called my mother mom too! He **was** my childhood. That's why it hurt so much. I didn't understand his motives, his reason. I didn't want to relive it again. Not now!

"We can't have that anymore."

"Why not? We could…"

"I don't want to talk about it Paul! Not anymore!" I said turning around to leave. I fooled myself. I wasn't ready for this. I should have known he would remind me of the good things, of all the reason why I loved having him around. I wasn't ready to face the betrayal I felt that day.

Before I could take more than two steps his hands grabbed my arm, pulling me back to him."Why? Do you hate me so much that you can't even keep a steady conversation with me for more than a minute?"

"Yes Paul! I hate you! What's so hard to understand?"

"Was it that bad?" he asked.

At first I didn't understand. What was he talking about? But images of that day came flooding back to me as I searched for an answer.

I was shocked. How could he ask that? "It's not what you did Paul. It's why you did it!" I said. "Why did you do it?" I cried out. It was becoming harder for me to contain the emotions bottled in.

He looked miserable as he took in the tone of my voice. " Because I wanted to, Shorty. But if I had known it was going to ruin us, I would have never…"

"How the hell did you not expect it to ruin us! You fucked up Paul!"

"Naomi, please! Let me make it better." He reached his hands to take mine in his.

I pulled my hands back abruptly. "Don't touch me!"

"Why are you being so stubborn?" he all but yelled. "Can't we just forget it ever happened?"

"Forget it?" I shouted. "You played me Paul!" It was too late. I couldn't control it anymore. It was all coming out and there was nothing I could do to stop it. This was it!

"How could you?" I couldn't stop the tears that started to form in my eyes. My vision became blurry but I refused to let the tears run down my cheeks. I took a deep breath as I threw my head back. I looked up at the sky as I tried to blink them away. "How could you?"

"I needed to know." He whispered.

"What?" I looked at him instantly, completely confused with his answer.

"I needed to know if you and I could ever be more." He took my hand in his as he closed the distance between us.

"Don't lie to me. It was never about us. I heard you. It was all part of their plan!" I pulled my hands away from him, taking a step back as I tried to put some space between us.

He looked confused for a second before he realized what I was talking about. He smiled widely as he shook his head trying to contain the laughter.

"I don't see what's so funny."

He laughed. "But I do. All these years, you've been mad at me over some stupid shit, and I'm here trying to make things better when it should be me who's mad at you!"

"Me! What did I ever do to you?" I asked furiously.

"You left without saying anything! Not even a damned goodbye!"

"Are you fucken serious? Did you honestly expect me to talk to you after…" I couldn't even finish the sentence. What the hell is wrong with him?

"…what? After the kiss?" he asked boldly, locking his intense gaze with mine.

I could feel the heat rushing to my face. Things were always simple for him to say. But he was making this conversation really uncomfortable for me. I turned around to look away. That's when I noticed the curtains from all the windows of the front side of the house. They were pulled back slightly as if someone was peeking through. They seemed to have noticed my attention on them because they all suddenly dropped simultaneously.

Paul was right, they would be listening in. But that's the only thing he was right about.

I turned around to face him. This conversation needed to end, now.

* * *

**Oh Em GEE! I personally like the little conversation/confrontation Naomi and Paul are having. And it makes it more interesting (at least to me) to know that the guys are listening!**

**HHMM wonder what Jake will do? LOL NVM. :D**

**Next chapter will be in his POV. Hehe hope you're ready for some Jake/Naomi time! **

**I really hope you guys are starting to enjoy this story and are finding it at least somewhat interesting. IF you do please leave me a comment/review. Let me know what you think. It's my healthy dosage of sanity. Keeps my mind from wondering and wanting to cancel the story completely lol. **

**BTW I'm not crazy. I just like getting reviews! :D**


	5. Nervous Wreck

**A/N: I'm not sure if I should continue. :( I'm not getting much feedback. And if I do it's because I ask someone specific. It's sad really.**

**Depending on how this chapter goes, I'll decide if I put it on hiatus or not. :( I don't want to, but if its not being read. There really isn't a point, besides my own satisfaction, which in any case, I can finish for myself. But the point of writing is sharing the story with others! **

**I do apologize for taking "forever" to updated though, I was lacking the inspiration to continue. :D**

**Well, that being said, enjoy the chapter. (Hopefully not the last one!)**

**[ Sentences in bold are what's being said outside. Where Paul and Naomi are talking. They disappear when Jacob goes outside and joins the conversation.] Hope it helps!  
**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 5: "A Nervous Wreck!"**

**Jacob's POV**

_I can't even take a leak in peace in this damn house! Should've gone to mine. Doesn't Leah ever get tired of screaming?_ I thought.

"Jacob, get out right now! I swear if you don't I'll…"

"You'll what?" I asked as I opened the door suddenly, surprising her into silence for at least a couple of seconds.

"You don't wanna know."

"Or maybe you don't know." I countered as I pushed past her. She always managed to wear my patience thin.

"The hell I don't! I'll take you out any…"

"Stop it already! Damn it Leah, can't you be nice for once? I only took a fucken leak!" I exclaimed.

"I don't care! You wanna pee? Pee downstairs! This bathroom is off-limits!"

"Sure, sure!" I said, fully aware that my nonchalant tone would upset her more than if I had insulted her. She was too easy to read.

"Don't you fucken "sure, sure" me!" _Bingo! Too predictable._

I turned around and looked at her, giving her a once over, as if criticizing her inch by inch and just smiled wickedly. I could practically see her wheels turning, trying to figure out what I was up too, which in reality was nothing. I just wanted her to shut the hell up!

After toying with her mind for some seconds I turned around to exit her room. That's when I noticed it, the unfamiliar silence that filled the Clearwater's house. Something was wrong and we were up here arguing like usual. _Fucken Leah and her shitty temper!_

"Where do you think you're going? I'm not done talking to you!"

I struggled to suppress a mouthful of profanities as I answered. "Shut up and listen!"

She opened her mouth, no doubt to argue again, but kept silent as she listened to her surroundings. I followed in her footsteps and heightened my senses. I could still hear heartbeats and movement downstairs; it's just that no one was talking. That's what concerned me; the guys were anything but quiet.

I walked out of her room, with Leah hot on my heels as we crossed the hall. I came to the top of the stairs and looked down. I stopped abruptly as my eye's captured what was happening downstairs. My sudden lack of movement caused an already angry Leah to crash right into me.

"URG!" she groaned. "What the hell Jake!"

At the sound of her voice, the guys looked up wide eyed, as if caught doing something they shouldn't, which in fact was exactly what happened. They were all looking outside, hidden behind the windows curtain, apparently spying on someone. On who, I didn't know. Not yet.

"Jake, you should come see this!" Quil said excitedly.

"Or maybe you should just stay up there and argue with the harpy." Jared added averting his eyes away from me and locking them once again at whatever was happening outside.

"That's what you want!" Quil said to Jared. "Keep him from kicking Paul's ass!"

_Why would I…_

"Why would he want to kick Paul's ass?"Leah voiced for me. I looked around the room wondering why he would be outside.

"Wait, where's Shorty?" Leah asked.

_I see, he's with her! The bastard!_

The guys all brought their attention back to us, looking at each other unwilling to be the one to answer.

"Wussie's!" Seth said as he stepped out. "She and Paul are talking outside."

Just the mentioning of them together in the same sentence sent an uneasy feeling in my stomach. I had no claim on her but neither did he. _What the hell could they be talking about?_

I made my way downstairs casually, trying my best not to let on to the anxiety I was starting to feel. I pushed myself past the guys to look out the window.

You'd think that I'd known rage by now. Or that, being the shape shifting wolf that I am, I would at least be slightly more aware of how easily rage spreads through your body when you let it.

I remember nothing like that when I saw them outside. I didn't understand why I was feeling like this. I had no right! She wasn't even my imprint. I didn't love her. I shouldn't have felt so enraged that Paul was touching her. That he was so close to her, talking to her and gaining her trust again. But alas it was a feeling that I wasn't willing to explore, at least not at that moment.

"What the hell are they talking about?" I asked no one in particular.

"Paul wants to be friends again." Jared provided.

"Yeah, like before." Quil continued.

"What kind of friends where they before?" I asked. With Paul, one was never sure if his words meant exactly that or if there was another meaning to them.

"That's what we want to know too." Embry said, as his gaze continued to be glued to the couple outside.

I returned my gaze to them as well, pushing away the guilt over eavesdropping. _Besides, it wasn't a bad thing if all I wanted was to protect her, right? _

"**Don't lie to me. It was never about us. I heard you. It was all part of their plan!" **We all heard from outside as Naomi raised her voice.

I was seriously confused by this. Maybe I didn't understand because I joined the eavesdropping during the middle of the conversation. Yet it seemed everyone else was confused as well. Naomi wasn't making much sense and it was becoming extremely irritating. _Why don't they just say what they have to say and get it out already!_

"What the hell! What does she mean by that?" Quil complained.

"You guys are a bunch of gossipers." Leah said from the sofa. "And they say women are bad! Yeah right!"

We all ignored her comments, much like we do every day, and continued to listen to the conversation developing outside. We listened as Paul laughed before replying, upsetting Naomi even more with his lack of seriousness. I on the other hand, never liked it when he laughed. It just meant he had some sort of trick up his sleeve. That or he was planning something.

Whatever he was planning, he wasn't gonna get far with it, not with me around. _I do love slowing him down!_

As we continue to listen to them, I couldn't help but notice how defensive I had become. How my body, my instincts, were waiting for the slightest inclination of an offensive comment, so that I could go out there. The wolf in me was just waiting for any excuse to end that conversation.

"**You left without saying anything! Not even a damned goodbye!" **The sound of Paul's raised voice seeped through my thoughts; bringing my attention back as I looked outside once again.

"AWW poor wittle Paul is all butt hurt!" Some of the guys chuckled over Seth's mocking childish tone.

"**Are you fucken serious? Did you honestly expect me to talk to you after…" **Naomi answered irritated**.**

"After what?" Embry asked.

"What did Paul do?" Seth whispered.

It seemed like today was one of those days where everyone else voiced my thoughts. I also wanted to know what happened, but I was waiting patiently to hear it. Something told me I wasn't gonna like what I heard, so I wasn't in a rush to becoming angry.

"…**what? After the kiss?" **Paul said.

A sudden and brief silence filled the Clearwater's house before the outburst.

"Wow" Seth said

"Damn!" Jared exclaimed

"Typical Paul." Leah mumbled.

"Hell yah baby!" Quil said, with obvious admiration and envy oozing from his words.

All at once, the guys were throwing their comments, including Leah. She, whom supposedly wasn't listening, stood up from the sofa and joined in on our eavesdropping, pushing and shoving the guys aside to get her own spot by the window.

_They kissed? Paul kissed her?_

I couldn't and didn't want to understand the odd feeling creeping into my chest. I didn't want to know why it was starting to feel tight and becoming harder for me to breath. Most of all I didn't want to dwell on the reason as to why I wanted to punch Paul. Nothing made sense to me! Why was I having all these feelings towards her if she wasn't my imprint? I didn't even know her well enough to say I was growing a crush!

Nothing, no matter how much I wanted it to, could explain my feelings.

"Shit! I think she saw us!" Quil whispered as he closed the curtains rapidly.

"Fuck! Drop the curtain Jake! She's watching!" Jared half shouted.

I saw her looking our way, shifting uncomfortably in her spot as her eyes almost locked with mine.

I allowed the fabric to slip from my fingers, suppressing the unwelcomed need to punch something.

"**The bet Paul! That's what I'm talking about!"** She said angrily after turning around. At the sound of her voice, we all went back to looking out the window.

"Oh shit!" Leah whispered.

"**What bet?"** Paul asks confused as he took a couple of steps closer to her. She took the same amount of steps away from him, pulling her hand away from his extended one.

A sense of satisfaction rushed through me when she did that. It was as if she was refusing him, and that's everything the wolf in me needed to become somewhat at ease.

"**Don't play stupid! I heard you and your friends when you were agreeing on a bet that day!"** she said angrily **"I can't believe you would do that to me Paul! I still considered you my friend, even if you didn't."** I could hear the pain in her voice.

I wanted to prevent it, to stop the hurt. I could feel it again, the tightening in my chest. Someone was hurting her and I was doing nothing about it.

"**C'mon Shorty, don't cry. You **_**were**_** my friend, you're **_**still**_** my friend."** Paul said as his hand reached out to caress her cheek, tucking her loose hair behind her left ear. A low, throaty growl registered to my ears and I thought, _I'd be growling too. _But then I realized it was in fact me the one doing the growling.

I stopped growling, but not before everyone else noticed. I paid them no attention though. I kept my gaze locked on her, wanting desperately to get her away. But ignoring my pack mates was difficult since I could feel their intense gazes fixed on me.

I continued to watch as she pulled back **"Don't Paul. A friend wouldn't have done that."**

"**I know that bet was wrong, but that's not the reason I kissed you."** I heard Paul whisper. I didn't like the kindness I heard in his words. The love that he seemed to be feeling, it was unlike Paul.

"**Then why **_**did**_** you kiss me Paul?"**

I watched reluctantly as Paul closed the distance between them. **"Because I always wanted to know if you and I could ever be more." **Paul took Naomi's hand in his as he continued to explain.

"**Besides, that bet was never meant for you, and I never did it. I got shit for it the entire year but I couldn't do it."**

I could feel my heart skip a beat as I saw her tense posture relax. _She can't forgive him that easily!_

She looked at him, and I was unsure of what she was thinking. Her expression gave out nothing. I didn't know if she fell for it or if she was being cautious. I didn't want her to forgive him, much less become friends with him again. If that happen, then we all might find out if there could be something more between them. And for some reason, which was really starting to irritate me, the thought made me very uneasy. I couldn't picture them together. I felt a deep uneasy emotion stirring in me when my mind brought made-up images of her laughing at something he might have said; of them being happy together. Was I a bad person for not wanting to see them happily together?

"**I'm sorry Paul but I know what I heard. And then you suddenly come and kiss me." **She said. **"Don't expect me to believe that off all the days, you chose **_**that one**_** to try and figure out our relationship."**

"**Shorty c'mon, you have to believe me!" **Paul said.

I watched as Naomi looked at him sadly, turned around slowly and left. Or at least she tried. Before she could take two steps away from him, Paul grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

Again, the rage I felt earlier came back. The excuse I was waiting for had just been handed to me. I stepped away from the window and made my way out, ignoring the watchful gazes of my friends.

"**Look Paul, I heard you out already. You said what you needed to say. We're done." **Even though I wasn't watching them, I could easily picture them talking, Paul still unwilling to let her go.

He continued to argue with her, saying that the conversation wasn't done and that they still had a lot to discuss. They were so caught up in their discussion that they didn't notice me coming.

"Is everything alright?" I asked coming to a stop in front of them. I smiled in satisfaction as Paul looked at me, momentarily surprised by my presence, before looking back at her.

"Get out of here Jacob. It's none of your business!" He warned.

"I'm making it my business."

You could almost see the anger building up in Paul's body. He started shaking as he took deep breaths to control himself.

"Calm down Paul." I said.

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Paul, Please! Relax!" Naomi said as she got closer to him, visible concern on her face.

"Paul…" I warned. He looked at me and then her, continuing his deep breathing.

"I wouldn't hurt her." Paul said. His gaze locked on her. I felt like they were silently communicating, like they shared something, just the two of them. "I wouldn't hurt her." He repeated looking at me.

_What the hell is he looking at me for! What are you trying to say? That I would? _Thought after thought rushed through me. _ I would never hurt her! I'd die before…_

"I'm going inside. Don't stay out here too long. It gets cold." Paul said to Naomi, his hand resting on her cheeks. "Will you think it over and find it in your heart to forgive me? Please?"

Naomi restrained a smile as she answered. "I'll sleep on it."

In that moment, I saw something I never thought I would see. Paul's face lit up, a genuine smile brightening his face. For the first time in a long time, his smile reached his eyes.

"Sounds good to me." He said.

I watched him walk away. His steps even looked relaxed, rid of the tension our bodies took after a rapidly flaming anger.

"You've made him happy." I said.

"What?"

"Yeah, a moment ago you two were arguing. Now he's almost prancing back in." I couldn't help but feel and recognize the envy reverberating in my voice. I just hoped she didn't notice it as well.

If only I had someone that made me that happy with simple words as the ones she had uttered. As much as I loved Bells, she wasn't it. It seemed that every time I was with her, bad news followed. Or the leech was near, which in any case, was the same thing.

"He's not prancing!" she said amusedly. "But that would be funny to watch."

From a distance, Paul slowed his pace as he whispered, fully aware that only I and those with super hearing capabilities would hear.

"I heard that pup!" He took another light step before he stopped again. "Make this one count. I'm not nice often."

_Make it count? What did he mean by that?_

Could it be that he left us alone purposely, I wondered. Was he giving me the chance to be with Naomi alone, and maybe figure out what the hell I felt for her. Why she stirred in me all this feelings I should only be feeling for Bells? Or maybe for an imprint?

_Well I'll be damned! Paul __**can**__ take his head out of his ass every once in a while!_

I could feel a smile coming as I walked over to the logs. I couldn't believe what was happening! Paul was being nice and I was feeling surprisingly happy for having a chance to get to talk to Naomi.

She watched me as I sat there looking at the woods. I inhaled deeply, scanning the air for any unwelcomed sweet scents. It was a habit most of us had acquired. As protectors of our community, we always had to keep our guards up, searching and hoping not to find that creature we naturally hated.

"What the hell was that?" Naomi asked. "Paul did the same thing! What's up with you guys and sniffing the air?"

"What?" I said caught off guard. "We…um…We don't. I didn't."

"Oh, so now I'm seeing things?"

"No!" I said instinctively, feeling awkward over my sudden outburst. "It's just that the air smells different when it's going to rain." I said more calmly. "I like how it smells when it drizzles."

She looked at me questionably before sniffing the air herself. I tried not to laugh as I saw her. She looked cute and adorable trying to smell the difference in the air.

"Don't laugh!" she exclaimed. "I can't smell anything."

"It takes time to tell the difference." _Yeah, definitely adorable. _

"Sit down." I said, taping the log next to me. I watched her walk over. She walked gracefully, sure of herself. _If this was Bells, she would have tripped by now._

The air breezed by, touching her hair gently, making it caress her shoulders as it blew to the side. The wind blew by me, bringing with it the smell of her hair. An elegant rose smell, that I couldn't quiet pin point, mixed with her unique scent.

I was struck silent. And I'm sure with my mouth agape too! I didn't remember the last time I saw anyone else this pretty, anyone who literally made my mouth drop open.

"You okay?" She asked as she sat down. She was looking at me curiously, a small teasing smile on her thin lips.

I felt my face heat up as I realized what I fool I must have looked. I cleared my throat after closing my mouth, trying to relinquish the fact that it _had _been hanging open. _I must look like an idiot!_

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said as calmly as I could, not trying to portray the mixed emotions I was feeling.

_Damn! What the hell is wrong with me? I haven't felt like this since…well… since… Never! My hands are sweaty, my heart erratic. Fucken hell! I'm nervous! _

_I'm shaking like a sissy cuz I'ma talk to a girl! I gotta get it together! If the guys find out, I'll never live it through!_

"You sure? You're looking a little green." She said worriedly.

"I'm sure." I said wiping the palm of my hands on my pants. "Never been better!"

_Fuck my life! I'm looking green? Oh man! I'll never live it down. I can hear the damn nosy bastards laughing inside the house! Don't they have something better to do? _

"Are you sure?" She asked again moving closer to me. She placed the back of her hand against my forehead. "Oh my god! You're burning up!"

As soon as her hand touched my skin, I felt a delightful shiver rush through me. I could almost feel the wolf in me jumping for joy over the close proximity. But with her touch, the slowly rising nauseous feeling in my stomach went overboard.

But the nausea I was feeling wasn't the kind you feel when you have the stomach flu. It felt more like a swarm of something moving inside me, right in the center.

_Huh, how funny, now I've done it! I'm feeling damn butterflies! They feel more like damn overgrown wasps to me!_

"You're sick. We have to take you to a doctor. You're too hot!" she said, without once, removing her hand from my skin. If I wasn't mistaking, I might be becoming addicted to her touch!

I looked at her, so close to me, that if I leaned in a little, I would be able to touch my face with hers. I could have touched my lips to hers.

_I'm fucked! I've never been dumbstruck like this. I haven't felt this way for anyone, not even Bella._

_She must be special. _

_Could she be special to me? Only me? _

_

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_**A/N****: I realized this chapter might be shorter than the other ones, but I found it appropriate to end it here, before they went into an actual conversation, where I would have to extend it and make it into a super long chapter. :D**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I thought it was kind of cute. Especially towards the end! :D And now we know why Naomi & Paul were weird around each other**_._

**I want to thank those who have taken the time to read and review the story. I really appreciate the feedback. Also, I want to thank those who have added me to their Alerts/Fav's_. _You guys make my day!**

**Don't forget to review! I really don't want to delete the story**_.  
_


	6. Arising Competition

**:D I realize I've literally taken forever to update. I do not have a reasonable excuse, aside from technical difficulties lol. This chapter I'm a bit weary of. It is a bit informational, at points. But every things has a point. I don't add a character or make something happen without a reason. These next few chapters I want to work on developing some sort of relationship between Naomi (Nimi) and Jake. **

**I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and that you can find it in your heart to forgive the extremely late update. On the upside, summer is coming up, and due to budget cuts my college isn't offering summer school this year. :D! lol. Not that budget cuts are good, just saying. :D.**

**Also, before I let you read, I'd like to thank my readers and reviewers. Like some other FF authors have said, I am a review whore (I just recently found out :D) but more than that I like it when the reader enjoys the story. :D So does that make me a somewhat decent review whore?**

**Anyways, ENJOY!**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

Chapter 6

_What the hell am I thinking! Special for me? Since when do I think like a love sick puppy? Naomi is just like any other pretty girl. Nothing special._

"Your skin is so hot!" she said in concern. "Do you have the flu? We should go gets some medicine."

"I'm fine really," I said, trying to hide a smile. "Must be my body trying to work against the cold or something."

She shifted back to her log, studying me carefully as if trying to figure me out. "If you say so."

I watched her looking around, allowing her eyes to wonder towards the forest. For a moment there, I thought she might have seen something. An uneasy feeling overcame me as I thought I missed something and because of it Naomi could be in danger. But I quickly realized she was just observing the forest.

"It's really pretty out here," she whispered. "I forgot how much I loved playing in the forest and the beach when I was little."

"It is kind of amazing. But it's dangerous to go in their alone," I said. "You don't know what kind of…predators might be in there."

"You're so right!" She said excitedly. "You might think I'm crazy but earlier I saw a… a heard…or pack of big animals. Leah and I were running and those…things just appeared out of nowhere! And then suddenly like that they vanished into the forest!"

Her full attention was directed towards the green mossy forest that hid dangerous predators in its shadowy depths. She scanned the forest curiously and intently as if by force of will, she would see those _big animals_ again.

_Well, at least she didn't call us beasts! Or bears!_

"My dad says they're bears. But they looked too big to be bears!" she said, continuing to scan the forest. "The way they ran through the trees. It was so agile, so…so natural. It wasn't a bear."

"Really?" I said. "Hmm, maybe we should send out a search party and figure out what they are?"

_She noticed all that in a matter of seconds?_ _We might need to be more careful around her. She might notice things about us and put two and two together. _

"I don't know about that. It's an entire group. What if you came across all of them?" She returned her gaze to me as she spoke, a quizzical expression decorating her features.

"Are you afraid of them?" I asked, unsure of why I dreaded her answer. Of course she would be afraid! Unrecognized dangerous animals were roaming the forest. It would be ludicrous for her not to be afraid!

"I think I would be if I somehow found myself alone with them." She said. "But I'm also extremely curious."

"Maybe you'll see them again."

"Maybe." She said.

An awkward silence settled around us. The subject of common interest had vanished, leaving us with nothing to talk about. I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, noticing how uncomfortable she seemed as well.

"So you and Paul?" I asked. Almost instantly I regretted the subject I had chosen. _Stupid idiot! Out of all the subjects, I had to choose that one!_

She laughed nervously. "We were always just friends. But then things changed so suddenly."

A sad and regretful sigh escaped her lips as she looked away. "I really don't want to talk about that. Tell me about yourself. What's your full name?"

I couldn't help but smile. I tackled her, gave her a huge bruise, butted into her personal conflicts with Paul, all the while she stirred feelings in me I would rather leave alone and she didn't know my name!

"Jacob Black. And yours?"

"Naomi Wood," she said smiling. "Is that it? No middle name?" she asked curiously.

"I do but I don't like it. So I'm not telling. How about you?"

"Same here. I'm not telling."

I chuckled lightly. "Sounds fair. I'll figure it out though."

She eyed me skeptically. "Is that so? Then you must have connections Mr. Black."

I couldn't help smiling like a dork around her. It was just so easy. "I have my ways."

She laughed. It was a sweet and gentle laugh. It wasn't overpowering or forced. It felt genuine, like she actually enjoyed my company.

"So why is it that we just met?" I asked her.

She leaned back, placing her hands behind her, gripping on to the end of the log. "It wasn't meant to be."

I watched her, leaning gracefully against the log, worry free, without the slightest concern or fear. _Bella could never do that. She would fall on her back before she even started leaning back._

"Really? Is that the best you got?" I asked.

"No. Actually I went to school in Forks. I pretty much spent all my time there. The only friend I had here was Paul. Then I moved. And here I am again." She said facing me. She was still leaning backward, her long hair falling freely.

"I still think we should have bummed into each other at least once. The town isn't that big," I said. "Besides, our dad's are friends."

"Tell me about it!" She said. "I ran into Paul quicker than I had hoped for."

"I probably shouldn't meddle but look at it this way, you met us." I said hoping to give her a reassuring smile and not one that revealed the nervous jittering in my stomach.

"I should be thanking Leah for that one. She's the one that brought me over."

"Oh right, Skittles," I said, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees.

A short silence settled around us before I continued. "Um, have you enrolled in school yet?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Can't wait to see my friends again."

_Her friends? Didn't she say she never went to school here in La Push? How would she have…_

"You're going to Forks High?" I asked. I couldn't avoid the sound of surprise in my voice. I, as well as the rest of the pack, had assumed she would go to school here in La Push.

"Yup. I'll be the new student again."

_Shit! She'll be the new student. New, fresh prey for those damn leeches! She can't…_

"You can't go there!"

"Excuse me?" She asked confused.

"I mean. They probably don't have any more spaces for new students. Besides, you wouldn't have any friends. Why not just go here?" I said hoping for all that is mighty that she'll accept it and not ask any question over my sudden outburst.

"I'm already enrolled," she repeated. "Just need to get my car running."

_Damn! This is seriously gonna mess with our plans._

I tried to think of anything that could possible convince her to go to our school. Yet all the ideas that came to mind were completely irrational. There was no way in hell I could tell her that it was a high school infested by leaches. I couldn't tell her that she would be in danger. Above all I just couldn't simply demand that she'd go to our school without a reasonable explanation. What would I say? _Naomi! I forbid you to go to that school! _ Out of the question! She'd laugh her head off and think I was crazy _and _ weird.

"Well, the guys and I were kind of assuming you would come to our school. Guess we can't do anything now, right?"

A small smile graced her lips. "I would have, if they had a better soccer team."

"That'll take some time." I whispered more to myself than her. "You said you have a car that needs fixing?"

"It used to be my brothers. Honda Civic SI," she said. "They're nice and cheap."

"And it doesn't work?" I asked confused.

"It's not new if that's what you're thinking. It's a 2002. But my dad's too busy to look at it thoroughly. Besides he isn't much of a mechanic." She said with a laugh.

"If you want I could take a look at it." I offered, feeling a new rush of anticipation flow through me.

"You know about cars?"

"A thing or two, but I think I could help you." I said, feeling slightly embarrassed as my face became even hotter than normal.

"Oh my god! That would be great! When can you do see it?" She asked.

"Right now if you want."

I liked the feeling I got when she was happy. Even better, I liked being the reason as to why she was happy. Just watching her bright smile, getting excited over something so simple, gave me a warm feeling that arouse a desire in me to want to hold on to it.

"Heck yes!" She said jumping off of the log. "Let's go!"

I laughed lightly as I got up to follow. I whistled loudly, signaling the guys to come out. I already knew they were listening but they couldn't just come out could they? She'd figure out they eavesdropped.

After I whistled, Naomi looked at me momentarily before focusing her attention on the door. The door flew open, revealing a very irritated looking Paul.

"Why the hell are you whistling like your callin' out a pack of dogs?" He yelled from the house.

"Idiot! Why are you the first one out then?" I said trying not to laugh as I heard Naomi giggling next to me.

"Jerk!" He countered simply, taking a few steps forward. "What do you want?

I looked over at Naomi, and told her I'd be back in a bit.

As I made my way over to the house, cutting the distance rapidly, the rest of the guys came out, including Leah.

"I'm going over to her house. Some of you guys have to go tell Sam about the school thing. We need to figure out a new way to watch her."

"Sure thing! Paul, Leah and Jared, you guys go talk to Sam. I'm going with Jake." Quil informed matter-of-factly.

"Who put you in charge?" Leah asked.

"I'm going to her house too." Paul added.

"And if Paul is going too, there's no fucken way I'm stayin'." Jared said looking excited.

With both me and Paul going, the pack fully expected some sort of confrontation to eventually go down.

"Stop making things so complicating, someone has to notify Sam so he can think of something before she goes to a school full of starving bloodsuckers!"

"Damn! Don't get your panties up in a bunch!" Quil exclaimed.

"Yeah well, I get the urgency but It's not gonna be me." Leah said as she walked back into the house, leaving us to deal with this fastidious problem.

"Fine, we can't all go. So Seth and Embry, both of you go with Paul and Jake. They're the calmed ones. Let's hope it rubes off on them. Quil you come with me to tell Sam." Jared said with authority resonating from his voice, leaving no space for argument as we grunted to ourselves over our obvious dislike on the decision.

We parted ways as half of us went over to Naomi's and the rest to Sam's. Our walk to her house was interesting to say the least as we tried to unsuccessfully convince her to go to our school. Aside from that, I also noticed the proximity by which Paul insisted in talking to her. There was no need to be that close to just talk! With the kind of loud voice he had, he could easily be heard from a mile away!

I suppressed the urge to step in between the middle of them to create some space. How could she be talking to him so easily? Wasn't she mad at him a while ago? Why are women so complicating? So contradicting?

Regardless of what I thought of their suddenly developing "friendship", I wasn't going to let Paul just push me aside like that. I wasn't trying to fight over her. It was after all her choice who she kept as friends. That I didn't like it, was beside the point.

So as we neared her house I stepped up my pace and caught up with her and Paul. I smoothly interrupted his conversation and started asking her random questions about the car. She became instantly excited and directed all her attention towards me. It gave me great satisfaction to see a frown appearing on Paul's forehead. More than that, I was filled with a feeling. It felt like an intense satisfaction almost prideful sensation in my chest as Paul continued to try and meddle his way into our conversation without success. Every time he asked a question about the car or her family, he managed to hold her attention only momentarily. But when I asked a question, her answer seemed to trigger more questions and topics, giving us and endless conversation.

He was the third wheel and he knew it!

I realized why he did what he did earlier. He wasn't being nice in letting me talk to her alone. He was trying to measure up the competition. But even when I was so nervous and probably failed his test miserably at the beginning, now more than ever those jittery feelings that were going haywire throughout my body only seemed to encourage me as we found more things in common. It filled me with excitement being able to hold a steady and interesting conversation with a girl that wasn't Bella. If I took my time analyzing the topics of conversations with Bella, they always seemed to revolve around her and the parasite. I couldn't remember ever having a conversation with her about anything besides Edward or how I was much better for her. And even _that_ revolved around the leach. _Did we ever have a decent __**normal**__ conversation? Do we even have anything in common besides this freak world?_

"We're here!" The sound of Naomi's voice seeped through my thoughts, preventing me from questioning the relationship I had with Bells.

"Where's your car?" Seth asked.

"It's in the back." She said as she made her way to her backyard, motioning us silently to follow her.

As we maneuvered our way to the side of her house, I noticed that her house was probably the only house in La Push with a fenced in back yard. _Why would it…_

"Do you smell that?" Embry whispered as his eyes searched our surroundings. We had reached the gate, located at the very end of the yard. It was easy access; she didn't have a neighbor to nag with the side driveway. In fact, her closest neighbors were probably Paul and Embry, both about a half mile away.

"Why is your yard fenced in?" Seth asked curiously

"Because I have a dog."

"That explains the smell." Embry said.

"What?" She asked surprised. "It does not smell! I clean the yard regularly."

"What I meant was… um…it doesn't really smell smell. It's more of a light stench." Embry said as a failed attempt to rectify himself.

Paul laughed. "Dude, you just made it worst."

"Does it really smell?" she asked embarrassed.

I smiled reassuringly as I walked to stand next to her. "No, it doesn't. Embry's just…weird." She didn't seem to believe me but I couldn't tell her that we had heightened senses and that even after a month without a dog; we'd still be able to smell it. It wasn't that it smelled bad it just smelled different; it didn't just seem like a dog.

We waited for her to unlock the gate, the chain clinking loudly as it hit the fence. From the distance you could hear the paws of an approaching four legged animal. Out of the corner of the house a large dark grey, almost black colored dog came rushing out. The dark shade had a tint of brown, lightening the darkness of his coat. His heart shaped face was one of the few parts of its fur that was covered in white. He slowed his run into a jog when he saw Naomi. It sniffed the air as if smelling something different too. His gaze lingered on us as he bared his sharp teeth and a menacing growl emanated from his snout.

"Duke! Stop it!" Naomi warned. "Come in, he won't bite. I think." She said; the last part more for herself than any of us.

"He's mixed isn't he?" Paul asked.

"Yeah. He's a hybrid. 50% Siberian Husky 50% Timber Wolf." She said walking in to calm the dog.

"He's very territorial, much like a wolf. That's why my dad fenced the yard. I was afraid he'd give me some trouble. I'm trying to help him get used to his new surroundings before taking him out, but its making him really jumpy."

We observed the wolf, watching in amazement as his growling stopped when she came near. His tensed posture even relaxed as she petted him. We took that to be a good sign and tried walking in but as soon as we tried putting one foot inside the door he crouched close to the floor, his ears flickering back close to his head, and directed a low threatening growl at us.

"What the hell...!" Paul exclaimed confused.

"At least you know you've got a good guard dog." Embry joked.

"Close the gate and wait outside. I'll go look for his dog leash. I don't want him biting any of you." She said as she stood up and walked over to a shed in the far back of the property.

As soon as she was far away we voiced our thought on the dog/wolf that wouldn't let us into his house. "You think he knows?" Seth asked.

"He's just a dog. How could he?" Paul answered.

"He's not just a dog. He either knows what we are, and is protecting his territory or he just doesn't like us." I said.

"I like the first choice." Embry said as we all looked at the dog.

His stance was now relaxed but not once did he move from his current sitting position in front of the gate. It was as if he was a royal guard, protecting the entrance of the palace. Just the slightest movement from us made him alert and weary. Out of curiosity I took a step forward. Immediately he stood up in defensive mode. I lifted my hand allowing it to linger close to the gated door. Her dog/wolf took one step forward and growled loudly. I smiled, took a step back and asked Seth to do the same. Once again he kept his defensive stance but he didn't growl or approach. I chuckled before asking Embry to do the same. Amazingly he did the same as with Seth.

"No fucken way!" Paul exclaimed.

"Your turn Paul." Seth said excitedly. Paul took a step forward but unlike us, he didn't hesitate to place his hand on the gate. Duke took two quick steps forward, his gaze threateningly on Paul. But he didn't growl. A couple seconds past before Naomi started calling out the wolf's name. He immediately relaxed, but as a great protector his gaze never wavered.

As she hooked the leash on the wolf, she whispered meaningless words to the creature, caressing his fur and scratching his ears. I have to admit I was envious.

As I watched her with her dog, Embry pulled me back a couple of steps. "You think the dog recognizes you as alpha?" He asked.

"Maybe."

"Why else would he just growl at you? Does that mean he has to accept you before he accepts any of us?" He continued.

"I don't know Embry. But we'll find out soon enough." I said ending the subject.

"I don't know what you guys are gonna do, but if you want to come over again, you'll have to win Duke over. I'm not tying him up every time you guys visit." Naomi said as she took a reluctant wolf across the yard.

"Why did you get a wolfdog?" Embry asked as we followed her in, making sure to keep a safe distance from the overprotective dog. Not that I minded. It actually made me feel comfortable knowing she had such a guardian.

"He was a gift from my step dad. When I first moved 3 years ago I was a bit out of it and he noticed I always carried my wolf necklace." She said, pulling the golden necklace from underneath her shirt. "Also a gift, but from my dad. I've always liked wolves. I don't know why I had so much interest in them but when I told my step dad he decided to get me Duke."

_An interest for wolfs? Don't know if she'll feel the same way once she turns into one. _I thought.

We had so many questions about the wolfdog. Was he safe? It was one thing to be territorial but would he ever attack her? What kind of behavior did he have? Was he aggressive, friendly? Was he so protective because he could sense what we were or was he like that on a regular basis? Of course we didn't ask all those questions. We just narrowed it down to the ones that wouldn't give us away.

Basically, the Husky part of the dog is the friendly one. According to Naomi, it comes out ones the wolf side stops considering you a stranger; which can be fairly difficult since the wolf part of the dog will always be weary and cautions of strangers, even after a prolonged period of time. And even then, he won't subside to anyone aside from his owner. She didn't even want to go into the training aspect of having a wolfdog.

"Do you mind if I try to win him over now?" Seth asked excitedly.

"Sure, go ahead. Just don't irritate him. Meanwhile, I'll go show Jacob the car." She said.

She directed me towards her garage, explaining that her door had been broken for a while so they always used the back door.

"It takes two to hold the garage door up, so we just don't use it. Well, until I have to. There's no other way for me to take out the car." She said.

"We'll help you with that." I said. "Can you turn on the light?"

I watched as she walked over and turned it on. I popped the hood open and checked for the basics, for anything that seemed out of place or broken. But there wasn't anything that seemed out of place, until I noticed some hidden cables.

"Does your car have a kill switch?" I asked.

"It does but I already messed with it. That's not it."

"With both of 'em?" I asked. The set of cables indicated there was more than one.

"Huh? There's two?"

I hid a smile as I made my way to the driver's side. I searched and found the first one underneath the steering wheel. Somewhat obvious, I figured the second one would be the one truly hidden. Some people liked putting kill switches on their cars to cut the power off completely and prevent theft. Usually these switches are found on highly sought out cars by thief's, like the Civic._ But Forks isn't that bad?_

"Why does your car have a kill switch?"

"Before my brother moved, he was working in Seattle. He was making enough money to afford the drive. The only downside was he worked the nightshift." She said as she walked over and watched me from the car door. I became extremely aware of her proximity. I could smell her hair shampoo. I could feel the heat radiating from her body.

As I cleared my throat I awkwardly asked, "Um…do you know…or um… do you have any idea where the other might be?"

I could feel the heat rising to my face as I tried hiding, pretending to look underneath the seat and to the sides. I just really hoped she didn't notice. It was embarrassing enough knowing how obvious it was that she made me nervous, the last thing I wanted was her seeing me blushing like an idiot.

"Not a clue. I thought there was only one."

"Never mind. Found it." I said as I located the second switch underneath the glove compartment.

I tried turning on the car after that but again it would not turn on. It had been parked for so long that the battery must have lost its power. "We need to recharge the battery."

I was getting ready to check out the battery when a phone started ringing. I didn't pay attention to it, instead I continued to work under the hood.

"Jake, your thigh is ringing." Naomi said. I was momentarily surprised, forgetting that I had recently acquired a cell phone.

"Oh." Was all I could muster as I tried taking out the phone from the uncomfortable jeans I hardly ever wore.

**NAOMI'S POV**

I watched him struggling to remove the phone from his jeans. At this point I couldn't help but admire the way those jeans hung low on his waist, or how his shirt hugged his biceps and how it also managed to completely fail at hiding his perfectly formed abdomen. I almost felt like a pervert watching him but it was inevitable. I would have giggled at how shameless I was being had it not been for the loud voice coming from his phone.

I'm not one for eavesdropping but his phone was loud and the girl on the other side was too. It seemed she wanted to know where he was. He seemed uncomfortable and somewhat guilty as he struggled to come up with an answer. I waited patiently for his excuse as he suddenly looked up. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. With an intense urge to turn around and leave but instead I did nothing and remained were I was. The only thing left to do was to smile. _There's no point in making it worst, besides he might not know I can hear her too._

"Um, I'm at a friend's Bells. Why? Is something wrong?" He answered, his voice taking a worried tone.

"_No Jake. I just wanted to know if you'd like to hang out with me?" _The girl on the phone said. She sounded a little childish, like one of those girls that spoke girly and expected to get what she wanted when she wanted. Except it wasn't cute when she did it, it seemed more like a faked sweetness.

"What about…?" Jacob asked, allowing his question to linger in the air. I thought, _Maybe he noticed I'm listening. _So, as to not to seem too obvious, I slowly turned around, pretending to analyze my garage ceiling, followed by some careful analyzing of a wrench and a screwdriver.

"_Don't worry about that Jakey!" _She said.

_Wow, Jakey? Really? What's next? Googley bear? _I thought with an un-lady like snort.

"Oh, okay then. Let's hang out tomorrow." He answered. I couldn't see what he was doing but I could feel the tension in the tone of his voice. He seemed uncomfortable talking to that girl with me around. _Maybe she's his girlfriend. _

"_Actually, I'm waiting for you in your house. Can you come home now? Please." She asked._

I felt a small thud in my chest as I heard her request. I couldn't explain it but somehow I felt as if he was going to have to choose between the two of us. It was irrational to think like that. He didn't need to choose. She was, after all, his girlfriend. There was no choice to make.

"You went to my house Bells?" He asked. Again, my heart skipped rapidly as I caught a hint of excitement in his tone. I didn't need to hear the rest to know he'd be leaving soon.

"_Of course I did! Are you coming?" she asked enthusiastically. "Oh my, I didn't even ask! Are you busy? Do you have a pack meeting?"_

I continued to play with another tool. I didn't know what it was; they all looked the same to me. And even if I knew, I was too busy trying to prevent the disappointment I was sure I was going to feel.

"No! Well yeah, but it's not important. I'll be right there!" He said as he looked around for something. "Don't move Bells. I'll be right there!"

I shouldn't have felt like I got stabbed in the back. I did realized how I could be "not important" but still it hurt to hear it. More than that, it was disappointing finding out he had a girl. I was kind of hoping he was single, with no one in his heart. But I suppose it was too much to hope for. After all, how could someone like him be single? He was nice, amicable, charming and cute. His nervous smile had warmed its way into my heart. Without realizing, I started harboring hope. Hope in a friendship and maybe even a relationship. But with a single blow it was gone.

_Damn, All the cute guys are always taken. _I thought.

"Um…something came up. We should meet tomorrow." I turned around at the sound of his voice, accidently knocking over some tools. The heat rushed to my face like a mudslide during rainy season, leaving no place untouched.

"We need to recharge the battery, maybe buy a new one and give it an oil change." He continued as he came over to help me pick up the tools. His proximity wasn't helping with the heat.

I could only nod in agreement, hiding my face with my hair. I didn't trust my voice.

"How about 9ish?" he asked.

I cleared my throat as silently as I could. "Sure. 9ish it is."

"See you tomorrow then." He said with what seemed like a forced smiled as he placed the tools on the table and walked over to the door.

"Bye." I muttered. _He's in a hurry. _I thought.

The rest of the guys came back, complaining of having had no progress with Duke. I didn't understand why he was being so aggressive. Usually, he was weary of strangers but he had never openly been aggressive to anyone before, especially when they were with me. Granted, he wouldn't let strangers into the house without me or my dad around, but this was just weird. Even with me there, Duke was reluctant in letting them in. _What could it be?_

They all left after a while, claiming to have heard their mothers calling when my dad's headlights came across the windows. Paul made sure to leave through the back. He didn't know that my dad didn't know about the reason for our fall out.

That night I told my dad about the second kill switch and the dead battery. He helped me open the garage door and recharge the battery. It successfully turned on. We took it out for a joy ride. At first I had some trouble. It had been a while since I drove standard. Even though I was two months away from sixteen, I already had my share of experience in driving. My dad would let me drive his pickup when I insisted that one day I'd need to learn anyways and that thirteen was a good an age as any. After that my brother taught me standard before he left. When I moved, my step dad helped me practice to get my driving permit, hence, my current driving skills.

I went to sleep feeling confused. If Jacob had a girl I shouldn't allow myself to start feeling anything for him. It wouldn't be wise and it would lead to a sure heartbreak. Yet there was something about him that kept pulling, asking me to see him again, to await anxiously for the sun to rise and fix my car together.

The next day my heart sunk. He was a no show.

* * *

**How was it? Has it maintained your interest? Too much info.? I kind of summarize some things. Just so you don't get lost as to why things happen later on. Like for example, she's 15 and then suddenly 16. or how come she's driving around at 15 lol :D**

**And her dog. Yes, he does have a purpose. More like a guard dog, but still, he has a purpose. Although i'm kind of liking how Duke(dog) doesn't really like Jake cuz he's alpha lol.**

**Um, i know i wanted to explain some other things but i've lost my train of thought. If any of you have any queations or doubts let me know and i'll clarify as best i can.**

**I'm adding a link on my profile for a picture of Duke. I'm not really good at discribing him. You might find that my description has nothing to do with the pic. but hey... i tried :D.**

**OH, and i hope i don't have that many mistakes. :/**

**Alright enough babbling...**

**REVIEW AND LEAVE YOUR OPINION!  
**


	7. Back in Town

**A/N: Song's mentions are "Thinking of you" Katy Perry and "Enchanted" by Taylor Swift**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

Chapter 7

Naomi's POV

I suppose I should have seen it coming. I should have been prepared for it. But I couldn't help feeling angry and betrayed. I couldn't stop the emptiness growing in the pit of my stomach, the hurt from spreading.

_He stood me up! Jacob fucken Black stood me up!_

That morning I woke up feeling anxious and excited. I tried on countless different outfits. I wanted to look good but I didn't want it to look like I tried. In the end I went with some tight jeans and an off the shoulder t-shirt that said Oh-Em-Gee in the front. I left my hair alone, allowing it to flow freely past my shoulders.

But even with all that, I was still stood up!

I shouldn't have relied on him that much anyways. He had other things that were _actually _important. Like his girlfriend, I thought, furiously grabbing my car keys as I walked briskly out my front door. I didn't need him anyways, at least not yet. If I wanted things done, I should simply do them myself.

_The car's already working anyway! Psh! Need him? As if!_

It amazed me to realize how much I was letting this affect me. Feeling so betrayed by him, knowing that I've only known him for a few weeks, shouldn't have felt so bad. It shouldn't have cut so deep.

Turning on my car and backing out of my driveway without letting the engine heat up, I continued my internal rampage.

_Was it so hard to pick up the damn phone and call? "Hey, Naomi, it's Jacob. Just calling to let you know I can't make it. I've got a date with my girl."_

That wouldn't have been so bad. _"Ok, cool no problem. Maybe next time." Click! "ARgg! That bitch!"_

At least imagining the dialogue that could have transpired during our conversation was making me feel a bit better. I turned up the volume of the stereo so that the song could help me block out my mind from further thinking.

"…He kissed my lips, I taste your mouth, oh!... He pulled me in, I was disgusted with myself…"

Disgusted! That's what I am! I'm disgusted with him! What kind of guy makes promises and breaks them a few hours later? Not real men, that's who! Psh! You can't depend on men like _him_!

I kept driving towards Forks, not really having a destination in mind. All I knew is that I didn't want to be caught home for everyone to know I was stood up. _Hell no! _

I looked out my window as I drove by the endless greenery. Childhood memory's rushing through my mind as I looked at the familiar surroundings. The first thing I ever remembered when I looked at the darkness of the forest was when I was lost.

Paul and I had been playing hide n' seek with some of his friends. To make things a bit more interesting, the boys decided to include the forest as a hiding place. I rejoiced at the idea, thinking they would never be able to find me. Well, my wish was granted. Not only did they not find me. I was lost for three hours!

You might be thinking, three hours? Not that bad. It was for me. At the age of seven, every little movement or shadow looked like a monster. I thought I was being haunted. Whenever I tried screaming for help, I would hear movement or see a bush moving and my fear would increase. Finally, when I had lost all hope, I settled for crying, hugging my legs to myself as I mentally told my parents how sorry I was I disobeyed and how much I loved them.

In my immense fear, I never heard people approaching until Paul came out of nowhere calling out my name. He immediately came to me, pulling me into an embrace as my sobbing increased almost tenfold with relief.

_One of the many reasons I cherished Paul so much._

Continuing to drive, I tapped my fingers to the new song. "Your eyes whispered 'have we met?'…across the room your silhouette-starts to make its way to me…the playful conversation starts…counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy… and it was enchanting to meet you… all I can say is I was enchanted to meet you…"

Enchanted! I was in pain! Any harder and he would have broken my ribs! Damn him!

Taking a deep breath, I tried to relax. There was no rational explanation as to why I was reacting the way I was. He didn't belong to me. We weren't even close friends! I must admit however, he was attractive. I would have loved it, if we were to develop something, but there's no point in dreaming. Like all decently attractive guys, he was taken.

"…I'll spend forever wondering if you knew…I was enchanted to meet you… please don't be in love with someone else…please don't have somebody waiting on you."

Too late, I thought disappointedly.

Driving into town, I spotted an "Automobile repair shop" sign. I decided to pull in and have my car checked out by a professional. I would use the money my dad left to cover any expensive for the car.

He'd said insistently, "If he won't take payment, we should at least buy all the parts and invite the boy for dinner. Who knows when's the last time that boy had a decent dinner. What'da ya' say sweetie, up to cooking for two?"

"Aren't you forgetting me dad? I'd be cooking for three not two. Besides, we don't know what kind of foods he likes."

"Sweetie, a home cooked meal is _usually_ always better than a frozen meal." He said, making a disgusting face, as I'm sure he remembered the familiar taste of those unwanted meals.

"Fine, but if he doesn't like it, you made it. I've never even seen a stove in my life. Deal?"

"Sure sweetie, whatever you say. So - what's for dinner?" he said shamelessly rubbing his hand in a circular motion over his growling belly.

I pulled into the shops small parking lot as the memories of last night's conversation faded away.

"He's the one missing out anyways!" I whispered to myself, feeling only slightly foolish for saying it out loud.

I stepped out of the car, feeling the cold air around me, inhaling deeply as I felt it cool my insides. The repair shop didn't look at all that big. It smelled like oil and dirt mixed together. I sure sign of hard working employees, I hoped.

There were two cars; one secured on the floor with an employee under its hood, the other six or so feet above ground with a second employee working underneath it. I hoped, for his safety, that the car was properly secured.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" asked a third person. I didn't see him. He probably came from the door that was almost hidden by the shelf full of mechanical tools.

"Yes. I was wondering how much it would cost me if I had my car checked. It hasn't been used for over a year now."

"Sure thing, we could check the basics for you at no cost. A thorough checking would cost you $50, but if you decided to have it fixed with us, we could go ahead and waive that fee for you." He said professionally.

"I had a friend look it over. He said it was fine. It just needs new brakes and an oil change." I added.

"I see. Well, there are other things to consider when a vehicle hasn't been moved for so long. Like I said, we could check the basic at no cost."

"That'll be great. Thanks."

I handed him the keys to my car and pointed to where it was. I noticed him eyeballing it. It was a great car, nice looking. It had, after all, belonged to my brother. It was designed to appeal to the male ego.

_Too bad I'm gonna feminize it, teehee!_

"Naomi?" I heard from behind me. I jumped, startled at the sound of my name.

_Oh my God! _ I thought, excitedly. That voice! I turned around expecting to have been wrong in who I thought I heard.

"John! Oh my God! John!" I all but squealed, instinctively pulling him into an embrace.

"Damn, am I glad to see you! Where have you been?" he asked returning my hug, feeling the warmth of his skin seeping in through my shirt; a much welcomed warmth that I didn't know I was looking for.

"Around."

"I heard you were in town but I thought it must've been a crazy rumor since you hadn't looked me up yet."

I pulled away trying to hide a smile. "Why would I look for _you?_"

"Because I've been your friend, best friend, boyfriend, best boyfriend, your guardian and lover….in sickness and in health till death do us part."

"Haha! Funny. If I recall correctly, we dated for five days and only to make your ex jealous." I said, toying with his fingers as I held his hands in mine, his hair as dark as ever, enviously strait. His eyes however, were slightly darker than I remember. The blue of his eyes was a tad darker, refreshing, warm and inviting. I liked this darker shade on him.

"My girlfriend? Don't forget about your obnoxious boyfriend. What was his name again? Peter?" he scoffed.

"Paul and he wasn't my boyfriend, you know that."

"Could have fooled me." He said, giving me a look of disbelief. "So…if you're not looking for me-what are you doing here?"

"Getting my car fixed. Obviously!"

"Oh…" he said, allowing his eyes to roam the property until they landed on his co-worker, currently examining my brother's ex-car. His eyes gleamed with excitement when he realized who's car that was. He always admired my brother, telling me I should feel proud of having such a "cool bro" with such a "cool ride."

"Is that…"

"Yup." I said nodding. "Same car-different owner. You like?"

"Man, you're… you're… damn lucky!" He abruptly started walking towards my car, dragging me behind him like a five year old child.

"Hey Max." John said, stopping exactly the way he took off, abruptly, causing me to bump into him.

"Sup man, back from lunch?"

"Yeah." He said, unconsciously reaching his right hand to the back of his head, tangling his finger in his hair as he scratched gently. "Hey, um…why don't you take your break? I'll take it from here."

"Really? Thanks man, I'm fucken starving and I gotta take a shi…oh… um… sorry… didn't know you were there." Max said, a deep shade of red covering his cheeks with embarrassment as I stepped out from behind John. He averted his eyes, fixing his gaze on almost anything but me.

"It's okay, I understand. I know better than to get in the way of a hungry mans lunch. Enjoy!" I couldn't help the teasing smile that was coming. It was just too funny how embarrassed he became. I was also somewhat amazed to see how much he changed in presence of a co-worker and a client.

"...and feel free to speak comfortably around me. I won't tell-I promise." I said winking playfully. His blush returned, giving me a shy smile before nodding.

"I um… yeah…I mean yes, sure. Um, John will help you, his good with cars and you know him already, I think, um - so yeah… see ya' later or I don't know. Shit! Bye…" He stammered, becoming amazingly redder with every word he uttered. I heard the crashing of some tools in the distance as Max let out a groan and few unprofessional words slip his mouth.

He was so cute I could have kissed him; if I hadn't been worried he'd faint. I did feel kind of bad though, since I wasn't able to restrain a giggle. I wasn't laughing at him. I was more caught up on how cute he had been.

"Fuck! I think he's gonna shit his pants!" John laughed. "That's the most I've seen him talking to a girl—_out of _his professional mode."

"He's so cute!" I squealed.

"Cute! What the hell! You dig that?" his eyebrow slowly arching up in question.

"Yeah _dude_, I _dig _that."

"Shut up!" He said, swinging his arm over my shoulder and pulling me to my car. " I'ma have to try that on a girl." he whispered in amazement.

"Psh! Good luck with that! I pity the girl who believes you!"

"More like you _envy_ the girl, since my attention would be on her not you, right?"

"God! When did you get so cocky?" I asked pushing him away from me, stopping a few feet from my car.

"Since I got these!" He smiled excitedly as he lifted his shirt to show off his six pack; amazing abs by the way. My hands ached to reach over and caress his stomach, to feel the hardness of those muscles that I knew laid behind that skin of his.

"Stop drooling and touch 'em." He pulled my hands towards his stomach, resting it flat on him as I felt his abs. He smiled widened as I allowed my hand to roam his mid section. He smiled in amusement, noticing how much I was enjoying the feel of his skin under my hands.

"They feel fake to me." I said, trying to save what little self respect I had.

He laughed. Hard. "That's the lamest lie I've ever heard! _You_ don't even believe it."

"Fine! So you've got something going on for you. It's not like you're gonna go around school with your shirt up." I said feeling once more victorious.

"Honey! Babe! You've got much to learn." He said, confidence oozing from him. "What are small T's for? And Gym? Perfect to go all "skin" on the girls."

He nodded, disappointed in me, allowing a small sigh to leave his lips. "Have you learned nothing these few years away from me?"

I huffed in fake annoyance. "Of course I did! But coach wouldn't let me go all "skin" on the boys."

He looked at me for a second before a huge grin took over his face and his body shook with laughter. "Fuck!...No way! The bastard!" he said in between laughs, trying his best to portray his "shock".

Watching him laughing, feeling the urge to do so myself, brought back so many good memories. It reminded me of the fun I had when I finally found him and my other friends. When they took me in after Paul took back his friendship. _He _was a man worth depending on. Someone I knew I could count on, no matter what.

"I know right?" I said, still relishing in the feeling of familiarity.

"Glad to see you're having so much fun there John." We both turned instantly at the sound of that deep voice, our laughter dying almost immediately.

_Oh crap! Hope he doesn't get in trouble. That guy looks like a boss to me._

"Hey Steve, we're just-well, _I'm_ working on her car over here." John said leaning towards my car as he took a couple steps closer.

"Do you personally know her?" Mr. Boss asked with the seriousness of a catastrophic disaster on his face.

"Yes, I do." Came John's easy answer.

In an instant, Mr. Boss stance relaxed. "You better. We don't talk like that to clients, especially if we don't know them."

Mr. Boss, or Steve, immediately started asking questions about the car. I gave him all the details and the long story about the kill switch and all that other junk. He seemed pleased that I was giving him so much information. He even said he would do a thorough check for free, claiming that as a good citizen and a proud parent to three beautiful daughters, he couldn't let a nice girl like me wonder the streets not knowing when the car would dump me somewhere.

So with a grateful smile, I accepted his help, giving him a nice daughterly kiss on the cheek. Both John and Steve told me to go and re-acquaint myself with the town and its shops. Little did I know that across the street, in a small coffee shop, the same man that stoop me up this morning was watching me; an enraged girlfriend at his side.

Jacob's POV

"What are you staring at Jake?" Bella accused from across him.

Since the moment I stepped out of my house that morning, I knew it was going to be a bad day. Not necessarily because the first thing I saw was Bella pulling up in her old orange-ish truck, but because I had a sinking feeling in my stomach I wasn't gonna make it to Nimi's house on time.

_Yeah, I call her Nimi, and what? _She didn't know that though. No one did. Heck, I wasn't sure why I called her that. All I knew is that I liked knowing I had a special name for her. A name me, and only me could call her; something that only _we _shared.

Apparently that was the only thing I shared with her, not nearly as much as she shared with that ass hole from across the street.

Even as Bella had pulled me towards her truck this morning and I realized I left my phone in my room, I didn't feel that dying need to rush back to call her and tell her I might not make it. I reasoned with myself, telling myself that it wasn't a date, just a casual get together. She would understand. Once I explained that my best friend needed to talk about something _important _and that she needed my immediate advice, Nimi would understand. She had to! But know that I saw her in that automobile shop, I was having second thoughts.

_I was supposed to fix the car! Me! Not that fuck face who took every advantage he could to touch her! Fucken Prick! He touches her again I'll punch him so hard he won't…_

"Jake? Jake? Snap out of it! What the hell Jake. I've been talking to you for that last half hour and not a single word out of you!" she said, trying and failing miserably to keep her voice down.

"What do you want me to say Bells. A leech is a leech, no way around it." My gaze however never left the girl who was so shamelessly touching the _pricks _stomach.

_She thinks he has nice abs? Ha! Wait till she see's my fucken eight pack. She'll melt in my arms, literally._

The frown that I had was momentarily replaced by a mischievous smile as I pictured her in my arms, moaning my name as her hand caressed _me _that way. I could feel that urge of lust affecting me.

"Jake! Listen to me! What the hell are you starring at!"

My imagination and that growing desire were instantly forgotten when Bella's voiced seeped through my thoughts.

"Nothing! Just…forget it! Are you done? I forgot I had this…meeting with the pack."

She looked at me funny, an I-don't-believe-you- you-fucken-liar expression clearly written all over her face. But surprisingly, I didn't care. All I wanted at that moment was to grab Nimi and get her out of that shop, away from _him._

"No, I'm not done but we can leave anyways."

She didn't even get to finish her sentence when I was already up, taking out my wallet to pay. She gave her coffee one last sip before standing up and started rushing out. But she crashed into me when I didn't move at all. I don't know what bothered me so much. The fact that they were laughing like they'd known each other forever or the way she was looking at him, like she _cared_ for him. There was a shine in her eyes. A shine that I didn't care to find out what it was.

"Do you know them?"

I felt her cold hand latch onto my arm, as her eyes lingered on Naomi and that guy.

"What?"

"Do you know them?" She asked annoyed.

"Maybe. Come on lets go." I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me to the register, too inpatient to wait for the waitress to come with my check. Unfortunately, there wasn't anyone behind it, so I had to wait 'till I saw someone and waive them down. By the time that happened I was seriously considering walking out on them.

I paid without leaving a tip and walked out quickly. I heard Bella's mumbled apologies and what sounded like the slap of her hand as she left a tip on the table. I planned to walk straight to Bella's truck without allowing myself the slightest opportunity to look across the street. I knew that if I did, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from storming into that damn garage and claiming what's mine.

The thought momentarily struck me still. I stopped moving, once again causing a fumbling Bella to crash into me. A small grunt and an "uff" left her lips before she recovered. I turned around to see if she was okay, I knew from experience that a crash with _any _of the wolves could be painful. Wasn't that the way I met Naomi?

But I wasn't able to ask her if she was okay. My eyes instinctively went across the street where, to my surprise, I saw Nimi leaving. I saw her crossing the street, trying her best to look about a block down, apparently looking for something. When she spotted it, she increased her pace and walked straight towards it. I followed her gaze and noticed she was going towards the grocery store.

"Ouch Jake! Why did you stop like that?" Bella said holding tightly onto her stomach.

"You took the air right out of me."

"Sorry Bells, I didn't hear you coming." I answered returning my attention back to her.

"You didn't hear…you didn't…I was making so much noise! How could you not…URG! Never mind. Let's go." She said stomping towards her truck, still massaging her stomach.

"Actually, I just remembered. I wanted to—um well—get something from the store." I hoped she didn't notice how nervous I suddenly became, hoping that she'd believe me and jut go with it.

"The store? What store?" No such luck.

"The grocery store…" I started but was unable to finish before she interrupted with her mocking laughter.

"Haha! What are _you_ going to get from there?"

"I do eat you know." The annoyance in my voice could not go undetected.

"Beside, you could keep telling me about that lee…er Edward." I added hoping that the subject of her _boyfriend_ would stop any more curiosities.

"Are you going to give me some actual advice? Some friend to friend advice and not some werewolf-anti-vampire nonsense?"

"Sure, sure." I said, giving her a smile I knew she wouldn't resist or question.

She accepted my answer without questions, thankfully, and motioned me to follow her to her truck. I followed obediently, calculating that Nimi would probably already be there by the time we pulled into the parking lot.

Just like I thought, as we pulled into the parking lot and Bella had to wait for a car to pull into a parking space, I saw her walking towards the double doors, a good fifty feet away from her. I watched her carefully, feeling stupid for practically stalking her.

_This isn't normal. How can I feel so many conflicting emotions and not have imprinted! Why don't I feel that dying need to be with her, yet I can't stand to see anyone else with her? I have to talk to Ian. He has to have something else._ _I feel like…like…Edward fucken Cullen!_

I was stalking the one person in this world that made my heart beat faster, something he couldn't say, waiting and hoping to at least catch some of her scent as the wind blew by, hoping against hope that she wouldn't see me following her, trying to memorize every movement her body made as she walked. I wanted to engrave in my mind the way her hair bounced with her stride, how beautiful it looked as the wind caressed it.

I was being extremely pathetic. But I didn't care. All I wanted was to get out of the car and follow her before she disappeared into the sore. I was becoming very impatient and aggravated as we continued to wait for that imbecile who shouldn't be behind the wheel if he couldn't park.

As he finally parked straight enough, Bella stepped on the pedal, rushing past him as she uttered an inpatient, "finally!"

She drove towards the front of the store, angling the car to park in a recently emptied spaced. I looked up hoping Naomi hadn't yet reached the double doors. I caught her just in time to see her reaching into her pocket, only to crash into a man that was walking out. He dropped his bag, his belongings spilling out into the floor. The man looked to be well into his thirties and a little too heavy in the mid section. At I first glance the man didn't look dangerous but the stance he took after the incident portrayed something else.

"What the fu…" he started, but stopped as soon as he realized who he crashed into.

I was out of the car as soon as Bella parked, struggling to keep myself lingering behind just in case she did need my help. I didn't want to blow my cover but if things got out of hand I'd find an excuse for me being here.

"I'm so sorry sir. I wasn't looking and … Oh God! I'm sorry." She said, quickly moving out of his way and bending over to help pick up the man's things.

"It's alright, it was my fault too. I was messing with the things in the bag and I didn't see you either." He leaned down, helping her pick up her things, his gaze lingering for a split second on her face and then traveling to her chest. It was so fast I almost thought I missed it. I would have forgotten immediately if it wasn't for that distasteful gleam in his eyes.

A felt a low growl building in my chest as his hand touched hers, reaching out for the things she held. His entire aura was negative, perverted even. I didn't like the feeling I was getting and it seemed she didn't either. As soon as his hand lingered a little too much on her hand, she pulled away drastically.

"I'm really sorry." She whispered with a hint of fear and uncertainty in her voice. She turned around ready to leave but his hand shot and grabbed her arm.

"I'm kind of new around, kind of traveling through. I was wondering if you live around here, maybe you could tell me where I could find a hardware store."

She looked at him warily before speaking. "Close-but not here. I wouldn't know. Sorry."

"Oh, it's alright. I was just hoping." He said. I noticed how his hand was still on her. She was trying to pull away, but his hand wouldn't budge not until she said she needed to go. He apologized and released her arm. She walked into the store looking nervous and startled.

I walked towards the store, making sure to bump into the guy. He didn't smell like leech to me, but one could never be too sure.

"Watch it punk!" he said, not stopping to look at me as he pulled out his phone and placed it to his ear. "Kids these days. No fucken respect for anybody. I'd fucken- Hey Boss! Good news!"

That's the last thing I heard, Bella made sure of that. "Jake! Oh my God! That ass hole! Did he hurt you!"

"Really Bella? Do you forget who you're talking to?" I said.

"Oh right. Still, he could have at least apologized. I mean, running into two people in just minutes has to be his fault."

"Sure, sure. Come on lets go." I grabbed her hand and started pulling into the store, laughing when she stumbled forward before walking correctly. Suddenly the door opened and I was face to face with the one person I was trying to secretly watch.

"Nim… Naomi?"

"Jacob."

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**A/N: Dun dun dun dun! Lol. I realize that I always take forever to update. This time however I had a decent explanation. *sigh* I moved. I fucken moved. Not that I don't like my new place. I actually like it a lot. But common! I moved from southern Cali! Whoot Whoot! To southeastern Idaho. :/. And it's beautiful. Never thought I see so much green. Kinda made me feel like I was near forks lol :D. But still after living in Cali for so long its…it's… lonely!**

**Plus, I have no internet. Not yet anyways. I am ashamed to admit this but I'm momentarily ( and only for a few seconds, only to update) "borrowing" someone's unsecured network :D I feel bad about it but I think ima go crazy with nothing to do. Besides, it's only for a few minutes. I disconnect afterwards. Promise. :D The last thing I want is an enraged neighbor knocking on my door.**

**Can he/she tell someone else is using their internet? :/ oh em gee! I hope not. I'll get off already :D till next time. Don't forget to Review. I'd really like to know you're opinion on how the story is progressing. Finally I think we're going somewhere :D.**

**M'kay, don't forget to review! :D please.**


	8. Revelations

**A/N: :D So finally another update right? Lol. This one explains some things. I hope you don't get confused. It was a bit difficult for me to explain and make it sound reasonable as well. Anyways, I'm trying out something new. I did this chapter in 3rd POV. Please, let me now it it's okay. I like 3rd POV better because it allows a writer to capture more. But I don't know if I can pull it off. Let me know how I did. If not I'll change back to 1st pov.**

**Enjoy! :D**

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**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 8 – Revelations.**

Jacob wasn't sure of what to do. He felt stuck. It felt like one of those moments where the decision you made could change the rest of your life. Except the decision he had to make shouldn't have been that hard. He either started a conversation or kept walking after his salutation.

He did neither.

"You know each other?" Bella asked, eyeing them both curiously.

"Yeah" He said.

"Hardly" Naomi said.

"Which one is it?" Bella asked irritated, her left hand automatically going to her waist as her foot started taping annoyingly.

Jacob laughed nervously, "Yeah…well- uuhm… we just met."

Bella became uneasy as she saw Jacob rake his hands through his hair. A nervous habit she knew he had. She wondered who this girl was and why she made Jacob nervous. In reality she didn't really care, as long as she stayed away. Feeling the jealousy but failing to acknowledge it, Bella hooked her arms with Jacobs, pulling him closer and silently claiming him as hers.

"I'm a friend of Leah's. She introduced us." Naomi added, noticing how the girl adhered herself to Jacob's side.

"Oh… you know _her_?" Bella asked with a roll of her eyes.

Naomi couldn't help but notice the distaste in her tone. There was something about this girl that just didn't sit well with her. She thought however that she could be overacting. Besides, what girl wouldn't react jealously when her boyfriend was forced to introduce her to a friend she'd never met before. It was obvious that she felt intimidated by Naomi, but she didn't understand why. All she knew is that she was angry at herself. Here she was in front of _him_, the one that ditched her, and she felt giddy. He seemed to have that effect on her. But she'd be damned before she let him see that.

Naomi pride herself in her emotional control. She learned early on how to hide her true feelings from everyone else. Granted, she usually showed her true feelings but this time was different. She didn't want him to notice her nervously pulling on her shirt. She didn't want him to see how anxious she was to get out of there, to avoid the awkwardness. Most of all, she didn't want him to see that she was just a tad bit jealous of his girlfriend.

Feeling satisfied for ignoring her question but not wanting to acknowledge it, Naomi cleared her throat and avoided eye contact. Besides, she didn't think Jacob's girlfriend was actually expecting an answer.

"Oh! Sorry. I didn't introduce. This is Bella. Bella, this is Naomi." Jacob said as he pulled out his hand from his pocket and pointed to the girls at the mention of their names. He smiled brightly, happy to be introducing the girl he was starting to like to his best friend.

"Nice to meet you." Naomi said, but kept her hands to herself. She didn't think it was rude not to shake her hand and even if it was she really didn't feel like being friendly. Not to her at least.

"Same goes." Bella said, eyeing Naomi with dislike.

It was obvious that the girls would never get along. Since the first second they laid eyes on each other the rivalry began. They both wanted the same thing but only one would eventually succeed. But at that moment that someone had no idea of their beginning rivalry. Even when the hate and discomfort was apparent, all he could think of was on how cool it would be to have his girlfriend and best friend get along.

"So… um… I'll head out. I've got some things to do." Naomi said side stepping to Jacob's right, away from Bella.

"You're leaving already?' Jacob asked surprised, his hand reaching out to grab her by the arm. Both girls noticed the gesture immediately, neither of them felt comfortable with it, both for different reasons all completely.

For Naomi, his touch made her jittery. He made her feel like the butterflies in her stomach where conjuring up a storm. Bella on the other hand felt threatened. She could already see Jacob developing feelings for that girl. She didn't like that. Even though she had Edward, she couldn't help but feel possessive over Jacob. She wanted them both and she wasn't going to allow anyone to come here and snatch him from her.

"Yeah, the mechanic called." She regretfully pulled her arm back and watched as his eyes left her face and went to where his hand was griping hers. He didn't say anything; he just stared momentarily before letting her go.

"This morning…I didn't mean to…"

"Don't worry about it." Naomi interrupted. She didn't want to hear him apologize for not showing up. She didn't want a reason not to be mad at him anymore. She needed a motive to stay away from him.

She refrained from smiling. She didn't want to give him any motivation and make him think it was okay. She would go on with her life and forget him. Naomi was determined to kill her growing feelings before it was too late.

"I really was going to show up. Things just…" He continued. He didn't want her leaving like this. Before, he could never read girls right. He always guessed their feelings wrong. This time however he knew better. Jacob could feel the hurt in her words. He could see it in her tensed posture.

"Look, I said it was fine." She heard it in her own voice, the hurt and betrayal. She relaxed before continuing. "Honestly, don't worry about it. I really need to go. See you later, maybe?"

Jacob sighed heavily, knowing all too well it wasn't okay. "Sure."

He watched her go. He knew he'd fucked up. He was going to have to figure out how to fix it. But before he did anything about it, there was someone he wanted to see first.

"That was weird." Bella murmured as she tugged on his arm. "Let's go inside and get your things Jake."

"What things?" He asked, unconsciously pulling away. "Never mind. Take me back. I've got a meeting… and …um I don't wanna be late."

"A pack meeting? At this hour?" she asked suspiciously. "Don't you usually have them late at night or early in the morning?"

"Those are official, this one isn't." he said, hoping she'd take his answer and just leave it at that.

"Fine! But you owe me."

"Sure, Sure."

***On their way to La Push***

He was trying to organize his thoughts. He needed to figure out what exactly he was going to ask Ian and in what order. That old man had his tricks and had a way of avoiding questions all together. Jacob was aware Ian knew something and he was determined to find out. First he needed to know what he was told about Naomi. He wanted to get as much information as he could, to protect her and for his own benefit as well. He'd then proceed to asking Ian how Naomi was connected to him. Could it be an imprint relationship? Or past life soul mates? Or maybe even relatives?

"Jacob!"

"What?"

"What the hell are you day dreaming about?" she said. "We've been sitting here for five minutes!"

"Damn! Why didn't you tell me!" Jacob asked, automatically taking his seatbelt off and reaching for the door.

"I wanted to know how long it would take you to realize it."

He huffed. "Satisfied?" he said annoyed.

Bella sighed and looked away with a sad look on her face. "Was it her?"

"Excuse me?" he stopped midway, his right leg hanging out of the car as he turned around to face her.

"Where you thinking about that girl?" she asked turning to see him. Her eyes never left his. It felt like an accusation to Jacob.

"Is it wrong if I was?" He asked instead. He felt like he was in one of those relationships where the woman asked him trick questions and regardless of what he answered, he would be wrong anyways.

"Do you like her?" Bella continued, having taken her own conclusions to his previous answer.

"Don't you?"

"Stop answering with a question, damn it! Do you or do you not like her? Simple."

He laughed dryly. "Is there a problem? Did I do something?" he asked, "because I don't remember doing anything to piss you off!"

He was starting to get mad himself. "What does it matter if I like her or not? You've got Edward! I'll choose whoever I want! And if it isn't you, deal with it!"

He jumped out of the truck, slammed the door shut and walked towards his house. He could hear her murmuring as she slammed her foot on the accelerator and pealed as best as she could, out of his property.

"What the hell got into her?" He was still fuming by the time he was in his living room; slamming cabinet doors open as he searched for paper and a pen.

He left his dad a note on the fridge door, letting him know where he'd be and took off. On his way to Ian's house, he ran into Embry, whom decided to tag along. "In case you need me" he'd said.

They ran through the forest, taking a quicker route towards Ian's place. It seemed they were being expected because the front door was open and Ian was sitting there, as if meditating.

"What took you so long?" He said; his eyes still closed in concentration.

"If you were waiting you should have called. I would have come earlier."

"I wanted to know how long it would take you." Ian said as a small, mocking smile grazed his lips.

"Apparently you're not the only one." Jake murmured, taking a seat on the sofa, followed by a confused Embry.

"What do you want to know kid?" Ian asked. He stood up from his seat on the floor and walked over to his lazy boy, grabbed his beer on the side table and took a long sip.

"You were expecting us, you tell me."

Embry watched curiously, listening to the word game they were playing. There was definitely something up. Ian always liked to put in some mystery into the situation. It was his thing.

"I still don't know when she'll phase." Ian said, taking another sip from his beer.

"Okay, what _can_ you tell us about her?" Embry asked, placing his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward.

"She'll be an important asset to the pack but…" he stopped, took another sip and sighed.

"But what?" Jacob asked extremely annoyed that Ian was trying to play it out.

"But...there are roads and decisions she must make that may or may not secure her spot in _this_ pack."

"What kind of decisions?" Embry asked before Jacob could even open his mouth. He too, was now leaning on his knees, listening intently to what Ian had to say.

"Not sure." He took another sip, calm as ever. All the while, Jacob's insides where unraveling in torment.

"Do those decisions have anything to do with Jake?" Embry asked, his eyes looked like they were in thought. As if he was unraveling a mystery in his head and all the right questions were just coming out.

"Yeah, what he said." Jacob added, nodding his head towards Embry as he spoke.

"Sure." Ian answered casually.

"Is she my imprint?"

"That's the first important question that comes out of _your_ mouth! Congrats kid, you're starting to get it." Ian took the last sip of his beer and put it aside. His posture became a bit more tensed as he leaned forward in his chair.

"As of now, she isn't. Sort of." Ian said, confusing the hell out of the boys.

"As of now? Sort of?" Jacob asked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"You mean she will be?" Embry continued.

"I'm starting to think Jake, maybe Embry is better suited for alpha than you are."

"Just answer his question."

"Whether you like it or not Jacob, you are the true alpha of this pack. It runs in your blood. And as such, your wolf behaves as one. Do you follow?" Ian asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

Jacob huffed and rolled his eyes. "You're not telling me anything I already don't know. What does this have to do with Naomi?"

"Everything, my boy!" He said excitedly. "An alphas imprint is different!"

"Different?" Embry asked astonished.

_Different? _Jacob asked himself. _It isn't that complicated! You look at a girl and if she's your soul mate, you imprint! Just like that! What could be different?_

"Stop hurting yourself kid. Let me explain." He said restraining a mocking smile.

"Laugh all you want old man, it still doesn't make any sense."

Ian did just that. He laughed. "C'mon kid, ease up a little."

"Whatever man. It's not funny."

Ian stopped laughing and worked on regaining his composure. Once he was done making fun of Jacob, he decided to continue. It's not that much fun when you're the only one laughing.

"Look kid, an alpha makes the decisions for the pack. And because of that, he must always keep a clear mind. An early imprint or a troublesome imprint can distract both your human and wolf. If by chance you meet your imprint during a time of turmoil you do not fully imprint, but you feel the pull to an extent." Ian paused for a bit, allowing both wolfs some time to digest the information. He straightened out as he sat all the way into the lazy boy, waiting for a reaction.

"So I half imprinted?" Jacob asked still confused.

"Atta boy!" Ian said proudly. "I knew you had some alpha potential in you!"

"No wait! It doesn't make sense! Jacob might be true alpha but he isn't in charge. Sam is. Why didn't this happen to Sam?"

Ian faked sniffed. "You boys make me so proud!"

Both Embry and Jacob sighed in defeat. "Ian? Could you please just answer? I'm tired of these games." Jacob said, shoving his hand through his hair in frustration.

"Sam didn't meet his imprint in times of turmoil. If you have yet to notice, we have a battle upon us."

"A battle?" Embry asked confused.

"With the Cullen's?" Jacob added.

"I.. um…" Ian said nervously. "Did I say battle?"

"Yes, you did." They both said in unison.

Ian sighed seemingly defeated. "All I know is that there is danger to come and because of it, your wolf will not fully imprint."

They just started at him, waiting for him to continue.

Ian sighed again, inwardly smiling because the boys seemed to be learning. "Let me tell you a little bit about imprinting." He said.

"Imprinting happens to you only because you are shifters. The wolf inside you chooses its mate. It cannot stop the imprint. However, as an alpha, your wolf can diminish its hold."

"For how long?" Jacob asked feeling uneasy. Something told him he wasn't going to like what he heard. But he needed to know anyways.

"Until she's ready… or you lose the fight."

Silence filled the room, an unvoiced fear filling the air.

"So what? He can't fight the 'half imprint' anymore and finally imprints all the way." Embry said. "That isn't so bad."

"Alpha imprints are different. Haven't I told you that already?"

Jacob couldn't take this anymore. His mind games were driving him crazy! All he wanted were straight answers! All his word games were making him extremely uneasy, like the end of the world was around the corner and he had to solve riddles to save his ass!

"Tell me then! What happens?" Jacob asked exasperated.

"By then, you won't just imprint. You can't imprint while your wolf senses trouble in the horizon. And I don't just mean a leech or two. I mean real trouble. A real threat to our existence, kind of trouble. Think of it as a glitch in your design. A glitch designed to help the wolf focus on its job. Except that, in my opinion, there's a glitch within a glitch." He said taking a break.

"Oh great! Just fucken great! I'm defective!" Jacob complained throwing his arms in the air in exasperation.

"Just listen. What I mean is that it will help your wolf to focus more, but your human side wont. That part of you will feel part of the imprint. Not as strong, but you'll still feel it. Eventually, you'll wolf start feeling it too."

"So basically this half imprint crap is worth shit!" Jacob said.

"No. Hopefully, before that happens, either the danger is over or you've imprinted." Ian said.

Embry was just silent, unable to believe what his ears were hearing.

"Do you know when he'll fully imprint?" Embry asked concerned.

"It won't happen if your wolf feels your imprint isn't ready. If there's the slightest chance that you'll be rejected or that it'll take her more time than what you have, you won't imprint. The decisions she needs to make are tied to you. And if she doesn't make the right choices or doesn't make them soon enough…."

They both saw his hesitation. They saw a glimpse of fear cross his feature before he composed himself. That same fear crossed their hearts, tightening their chest, making it harder to breathe.

Ian sighed deeply. "…you'll suffer the faith of a rejected wolf."

Jacob thought about everything that he had learned. He went through every detail possible, trying to come up with a way out. But no matter how much he looked, he found nothing. It seemed pointless. Once again, his biological inheritance had fucked him over. He couldn't help himself. He laughed. But it wasn't a happy laugh. It was more like I-hate-my-life; fuck-the-world kind of laugh.

"I'm fucked either way. If I imprint too early, I run the risk of being rejected. If I don't imprint soon enough I die as if I had been rejected anyways. What gives?" Jacob complained.

"If it makes you feel any better, being around her helps control it. The longer you're away from her, the more you feel the pull, the less you concentrate on your enemies." Ian said.

"In other words, the more time he spends with her, the longer it takes for him to lose control of the imprint." Embry said in clarification.

"Precisely!"

"Great! Just fucken great! My life is literally in the hands of a stranger!" he laughed angrily. "Just what I always wanted!"

Sarcasm dripped from every word uttered. His life was a real joke. If he wasn't depending on one person he was depending on another. And to top it all off she was mad at him.

"Fuck my life!" he muttered angrily.

"Just…just calm down man. We'll figure it out." Embry said reassuringly as he patted his back in comfort.

"Don't know how, but whatever man. Let's get out of here."

"Thanks Ian. If you find anything else, let us know." Embry said as he stood up.

"Yeah thanks old man." Jacob added, walking towards the door in thought.

"Sure thing." Ian said. "Oh and Jake?"

"Yeah."

"Fix it. Do it know, before it's too late." Ian said his eyes full of unrevealed knowledge. He stood up and went to his kitchen, leaving behind a surprised Jacob.

They went their separate ways after they left Ian's house. Jacob walked home, taking his time to analyze everything he had learned. He understood know why he felt those things for Naomi. And why he didn't know he had imprinted on her since the beginning. In a way he was happy. He didn't feel like he needed her to continue on leaving. She wasn't his earth, his air, not yet anyways. There were their upsides to this half imprinting shit, he thought. He would be able to get to know her, before he felt the urge to say the "L" word. It would give him the opportunity to get to know her and fall in love with her gradually, not in a blink of an eye, literally. The more he thought about it, the more he became at ease with the half imprint junk. It was almost like having a choice, except you didn't. But at least he would know if he would have liked her regardless of the imprint. And that was something he felt grateful for. He hated the thought of being with someone because of some hocus pocus shit and not knowing what his choice would have been. But now he had a chance to know. Maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel, he thought.

He wondered though, how much stronger would the pull get? He was already feeling possessive, territorial even. Maybe that was one area where the wolf and he coincided; regardless of the half or full imprint, no other man could have her anymore. She was as good as taken. She wasn't his yet, but she would be. There was something about her, something that just felt…right. He needed to talk to her and fix things. He needed to fix things with his imprint.

_My imprint._

The worlds echoed in his thoughts. They sounded right, not out of place as he thought they would.

"It might not be that bad." He said to himself, smiling happily as he saw the better side of the situation. "Not bad at all."

* * *

**A/N: What did you think? I'm so excited to know what you guys thought of this chapter. That whole half imprinting things was so complicating to explain so that it wouldn't sound so dumb. Maybe it did anyways. But I liked it that way, to give Jake a chance to get to know her. Not like Sam, where he just fell in love with Emily out of nowhere. I thought that wasn't fair, for any of them.**

**Review and comment! Pretty please with a cherry on top! :D I'll hurry up an update! (Teasing tone!) I'm starting to get excited over this story again lol. :D**

**OH! OH! BTW before I let you do your thing and review :D. I have this crazy idea, well not really crazy, but it's about Edward and Leah. I know there are stories about them out there. But I have this idea in my head and I was just wondering how many of you would be interested in a Leah/Edward imprint story. :D ?**


	9. An Enemy with Bad Timing

A/N: Here you go my lovely readers! Thanks so much for favoring and adding this story to your alerts. Also thanks for the reviews, you know how much i loves those! :D Big thanks to Zerlina2111, Random Cookie Ninja and TheHotPinkRose who have so generously been taking the time to actually review and give me some feedback. Because of them I pushed my self to actually update within a reasonable amount of time. Not a century later lol :D

Oh btw in the beginning the dialogue it italicized because they're talking in wolf form. (through the mind connection) :D

Hopefully you enjoy this chapter! I know I did! :D

* * *

Your Guardian Wolf

Chapter 9—An enemy with Bad Timing

One week had gone by and Jacob had yet to speak with Naomi. Things just kept getting in the way. He couldn't let any more time pass. School was starting next week and it would be harder to get a hold of her.

At some point, he even thought she was avoiding him. Every time he went to her house there was no one home. He knew she didn't have that many friends in La Push. He wondered even if she was spending all that time with Mr. Fuckin-Prick from the car shop. Just the thought of it turned his insides upside down and he felt like tearing something up.

He decided to think of something else as he took off for patrol. The last thing he needed was to be thinking like that while he was patrolling with Paul and Sam.

He ran into the forest, stripping his clothing and removing his shoes before phasing. As soon as he changed he was joined by two other minds.

"_Hello Jacob." _

"_Hey Sam."_

"_Jacob."_ Paul acknowledged.

"_Paul." _Jacob returned.

"_We'll be covering east and west. Embry and Leah covered north and south. They found a trail but it simply disappeared. I checked it out already. There aren't any other leads. Our best chance is to keep patrolling with precaution."_ Sam said.

"_A trail doesn't disappear just like that! There has to be something else."_ Paul growled.

"_It might be irrelevant but there's something going on with the Cullens. They've been acting strange and after yesterday's lightning storm they all but disappeared."_

"_Disappeared?"_ I asked. They can't just disappear.

"_Yes. Bella's missing too."_ Sam continued already guessing the reaction Jacob would have.

"_What the hell! Why am I finding out just now?" _

"_Because I just found out too. Your dad called me before I left. He said he had a devastated Charlie over because Bella left. It seems she got in a fight with Edward and suddenly started packing and just left."_

She couldn't have left just like that! How could she? She had her dad, he needed her. What about me? I needed her too. There has to be something wrong, she couldn't have left me just like that.

"_I guess you aren't that important to her."_ Paul said with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

Jacob eyed Paul angrily. _"Doesn't matter. If she's in danger it's our duty to protect her."_

"_No its not."_ Paul knew the Bella topic could be a soft spot for Jacob and he would appreciate any opportunity he could get to mess with his head.

"_We can't just stand here waiting for whatever the fuck we're waiting for!"_ Jacob yelled.

Sam sighed, moving forward just in case these two decided to brawl about it. _"There isn't much we can do Jacob. Let's wait one more day and see if we hear of anything. If we don't we'll call a meeting and discuss what to do. Satisfied?"_

"_Not really but what can I do about it?"_ Jacob took off, heading east to start patrol and get it over with. There were still many things he needed to do and to top it all of Bella was now missing.

He let his mind wonder, forgetting that he wouldn't be the only one listening. He thought about Bella and the possible trouble she could be in. He was angry that he had to wait for someone else to defend his friend. But if he actually thought about it there wasn't much he could do. His thoughts shifted towards Naomi. He realized that the angered he felt now wouldn't be anything compared to what he could feel if this was happening to her. He felt a chill run through his wolfish body at the thought.

"_What a fuckin hypocrite."_ He heard Paul say disgustingly.

"_What was that?"_ Jacob asked unsure if he was talking to him. He'd been so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't noticed Paul was right behind him.

"_You heard me. You're a hypocrite."_ Paul said, closing the distance between the both of them. _"First, you're over here enraged because your precious fucken Bella is lost. And now you have the fucken nerve to think about Naomi like that? I should tear your fucking head off!"_

Jacob was shaking with rage. _"Hypocrite! Who the fuck do you think you are?"_

Paul stopped a few feet away from him, barring his teeth defiantly as a low threatening growl left his jaws. _"I'm Paul Meraz, friend and soon to be boyfriend to Naomi Avery Wood, that's who."_

Jacob snorted in disbelief. _"What makes you so sure?"_

Instantly, right after his question, Paul showed Jacob that day in Forks. He let him see the kiss they shared. He even improvised a little and allowed Jacob to feel the way she responded to him, her warm body pressed against his, her lips parting in response. He even let him hear the small seductive moan that escaped her lips. And to add insult to injury, Paul showed Jacob his own feelings of desire for her.

Jacob didn't even try to restrain himself. He attacked Paul, aiming for his neck as he tried to bite his head off. _"You fucken dick! I'm going to kill you!"_

They growled fiercely, snapping at each other, taking any opportunity they could to tear into each other's skin. They allowed the anger to flow through their bodies and take over. They saw each other as the enemy, an enemy that needed to be eliminated.

Jacob managed to sink his teeth into Paul's neck, growling and swinging his head back and forth, tearing at his skin. Blood began to ooze out of his neck, covering Paul's silver coat in its rich dark color.

"_Break it up you too! Do it now!"_ Sam commanded from afar.

They both heard him but continued to fight as if he had never spoken. Sam picked up his pace, rushing to get to them before either of them became seriously injured.

"_I said break it up!"_ He yelled, using a minimal amount of his alpha command. But it wasn't enough to break them apart.

Paul managed to break away from Jacob, catching him by surprise as he landed his own attack on him. Paul sank his teeth on Jacob's side, pulling viciously on his fir. He wanted to hurt him. He wanted Jacob to hurt like he hurt him. His neck was killing him but there was no way in hell he was backing off now. He tore into his skin, feeling the warm liquid of Jacob's blood spilling from his body as he pulled harder.

Jacob whimpered in pain before he was able to pull free. He was getting ready to attack again, lowering his body to attack Paul's thighs, hindering him immobile. But right before he sprinted towards Paul, Sam came into view.

"_That's enough!"_ He yelled in a tone they both knew all too well. _"One more snarl and neither of you will ever see that girl again! Understood?"_

They both lowered themselves to the floor, submitting to his command.

Jacob began to feel the anger fade away but it was soon replaced by the fear that came with Sam's threat. _"Sam, you can't do that. You can't!"_

"_Are you questioning my authority Jacob?" _

Sam had had enough of their arguing and disobedience. He was ready to do whatever it was needed to get it over with. And as much as he hated giving an alpha command and making his pack do things against their will, he was willing to do it this time, for their own good.

"_No Sam. You don't understand. She is my imprint."_ Jacob revealed.

"_What are you talking about?" _Sam asked.

"_He's lying."_ Paul accused. _"You're lying!"_

It was Jacob's turn to smile. _"Why would I?"_

He replayed his memories of his conversation with Ian, of everything that had happened recently. Unfortunately, he also let slip the fact that it seemed she had been avoiding him.

"_I told you he was lying. He didn't imprint. The half imprint shit doesn't count. Besides, she doesn't want him."_

Jacob felt the anger rising and couldn't stop the growl that emanated from his chest. By now, both their bodies had fully healed and were fully capable of withstanding another brawl.

"_Don't start."_ Sam warned Jacob.

He backed off, feeling cheated of another fight with Paul.

Paul huffed, _"Like you could win." _

"_Enough Paul!"_

Paul grunted in protest and looked away, ignoring the glares coming from an angry Jacob.

"_So you're telling me you haven't fully imprinted because we have an upcoming war?"_ Sam asked perplexed.

Jacob looked at him for a second before answering. _"Yeah, basically."_

"_But until that happens, you need to spend time with her or you'll die?"_

"_Something like that." _

"_Unfuckin' believable!"_ Sam exclaimed.

They stood there in silence, pondering on what Jacob told them. It was something they've never heard of before; a wolf capable of fighting the imprint, of imprinting only enough to tie them to the girl yet not enough to impede their jobs.

"_She's not a distraction Sam. I can handle it."_ Jacob said. He wanted to clarify that point. He didn't want Sam to have an excuse to keep him away from her.

"_It won't matter if Sam wants to keep you away from her or not Jacob. She's obviously avoiding you."_ Paul interjected. He showed Jacob how Naomi avoided him the same way, after they had some differences in their friendship. Paul looked for her. After he realized he was wrong and that he could lose a very important person in his life, he looked for her. But he was never able to find her. She was always "away" on some "school stuff." He even tried going to her school but she always found a way to avoid him. Next thing he knew, she was gone.

"_I never saw her again. Not until now."_ Paul added, standing up determinedly._ "And I'm not about to let her go just because of some half imprint shit. You either imprint or you don't!"_

Paul said walking away, leaving behind an angry and very nervous wolf.

Jacob phased back to human form followed by his alpha. There was a distinctive silence as they put their shorts on; wondering what would happen next between this love triangle.

Jacob broke the silence first. "He can't do this Sam. She's my imprint. Whatever history he thinks they had, it's done. She's mine now, not his."

Sam only sighed. "I don't know what to tell you Jake. I understand Paul. I get him, I really do. But I also understand you." Sam understood them all too well in fact. His feelings for Leah were still strong but the pull towards his imprint was stronger. Yet whenever he saw Leah, he couldn't help but remember the good times he had with her. He loved how their friendship progressed into something more. They had giving each other enough time to take the next step with confidence. It wasn't a love at first sight kind of relationship. It was the kind of relationship where he could actually say he had chosen her. It was a relationship where he could say I love you for who you are not I love you because of the imprint. So yes, he understood Paul and his need to have his old friend back, a girl he once, or possible still loved. But he also understood the need that came with the pull. An imprint was very difficult if not impossible to ignore.

"But I'm the one that _needs_ her to live." Jacob responded full of frustration.

Sam sighed heavily once again, hating how complicated things were becoming. "I know that Jacob, but I can't make him stop liking her. You know how stubborn he is. And once he sets his mind to it, he won't stop until he gets what he wants. That's how it's always been and I really doubt it'll change anytime soon."

Jacob moved uneasily in his spot. He hated knowing that Paul was still going to pursue Naomi even after finding out she was his imprint. What bothered him the most was that Jacob felt he might actually have a chance at succeeding. They already had history. Hadn't she responded so well to him once already? He was working his way back into her heart and Jacob was afraid he would do it before he ever had a chance.

"Look, I'll talk to him, see what I can do. Okay?"

"Thanks Sam. Is it alright if I head out?"

"Yes. I'd rather you leave than have to break up another fight like that." Sam said removing his shorts again to join Paul.

Jacob walked away from Sam, taking a trail that would lead him towards the edge of the forest, not far from the beach.

He didn't understand how life could castigate one person over and over again. It didn't seem fair that while there were those who suffered one blow after another, there were those who had a smooth ride throughout. Why did thing have to get so complicated for him? It was always one thing after another.

"Fuckin' Paul." He grunted to himself. He couldn't believe his audacity. He didn't understand him and he wasn't about to try. No matter what kind of relationship they had before, he had to understand it was over. His thoughts continued on, struggling to remain calmed the more he thought about it.

He was almost out of the forest when he recognized a unique smell. He could hear her hear beating faster than it should have, almost synchronized with her rhythmic steps as she jogged.

But she wasn't alone. Her companion's heart beat was also fast but its beat was different. He stepped out of the forest, looking both ways. She was coming from his right, jogging steadily towards the beach accompanied by her four legged companion.

Jacob insides started to turn as soon as he saw her. He could feel the smile forming on his face as he thought he'd finally be able to talk to her.

But his smile quickly faded away as he saw her reaction to him. When she looked up and saw him standing there, she just stopped. She stood there for what seemed like forever before she continued jogging. He noticed she kept her gaze firmly on the floor, holding on tightly to the leash restraining Duke.

There was tightness on his chest that was only getting bigger as he realized she was just going to pass him by.

"Hi Naomi." He said as she passed by.

"Hey Jake." But she didn't stop.

It hurt him to think that the one person he wanted, that he needed, didn't want to even see him. And he didn't even know why! He took off after her, determined to find out what was wrong once and for all.

"Did I do something to upset you?" He asked immediately after he reached her, fuck beating around the bush.

"What?" She said a little too quickly for his comfort. "No! I'm jogging and I can't stop."

He looked at her suspiciously, his eyebrow slightly lifted. He saw a blush creeping up and all he could do was smile.

"Really! It totally throws me off!" she explained, keeping her eyes on everything but him.

Unfortunately, something was definitely throwing her off and she stumbled a little, earning a questioning glance from the boy she's been trying to ignore.

"Don't you own a shirt or something?" She asked avoiding eye contact. Yup, that was the real reason she stopped earlier. His shirtless persona shocked her more than him appearing out of nowhere.

"What are you doing walking around town half naked anyways?" She continued, not wanting to give him any chance to question or ponder on her previous statement.

"It's hot."

She allowed her gaze to linger towards him. "Are you burning up again?"

There was a hint of concern in her voice and it made him feel oddly happy. "Something like that."

She kept jogging next to him unconsciously matching her steps to his as they approached the beach. Once they arrived they both sat down, leaving about two feet of distance between them. It was awkward enough knowing that one of them was being avoided and the other was doing the avoiding.

Jacob sat, knees bent, resting his hands on his knees as he listened. He didn't like the awkwardness building around them. He also didn't like how Duke kept staring at him.

The half-wolf was just sitting on his hind legs, keeping a watchful eye on him. Jacob didn't know what to make of it so he ignored him.

"So…" he started "…you've been busy?"

She could feel the heat rising. Her face felt warmer than usual. She looked away, afraid he'd be able to see right through her. "Yeah, something like that."

"How's the car? Has that…mechanic dude fixed it?" Just thinking about that guy made him uneasy.

"Yeah he has. But don't ask me what was wrong. He explained but I still didn't understand." She laughed nervously. "I just nodded and agreed. "

"Oh. So how do you know there was actually something wrong with the car?"

She looked at him strangely, wondering what he was getting at. "Because I trust him."

He looked away, watching the ocean as its waves hit the sand, diffusing into a million little bubbles that seemed to whisper all the secrets the ocean hid.

He played with the san, moving his foot in circular motions, wishing he had the strength to tell her the truth, to get this imprint thing out of the way and just tell her. But above all, wishing he had the certainty she'd take it well.

"You know him like that huh?"

He saw her smile. His stomach knotted up, making him feel nauseous and unsteady. "He was one of my best friends before I left. He was good to me after Paul deserted me."

Jacob didn't say anything. He didn't think he could. Did she like him? Why did she smile like that? Like she had a beautiful memory of him or something and every time he was mention all she would ever feel was joy? And love?

He watched her from his peripheral view, taking in as much as he could while she patted her dog. Duke wagged his tail rapidly, enjoying the attention from his owner. "So...how long have you dated your girlfriend?" She asked.

After an entire week, she had addressed the subject that bugged her the most; his girlfriend. As much as she didn't want to know how long they've been dating and how much they _loved_ each other; she needed to. It was the only way she would start getting over him.

"What girlfriend?" Jacob asked confused.

She felt her chest tighten and anger rise. _So now he's gonna play stupid?_ "Your girlfriend. The one from the store. How long have you two date?" She asked again, continuing to give her dog all her attention.

But he wasn't answering her and she didn't have the courage to look up at him to see what he was waiting for. "You looked good together. It's kind of cute." She paused, breathing deeply to calm her heart. "You can tell she's into you."

If she said any more, she could have sworn she would've felt her tongue burning off. _It was anything but cute!_

He looked away, struggling to keep from laughing, but failing miserably.

She heard him chuckling and couldn't help but look at him. "Did I say something funny?"

He smiled, looking too damn sexy for his own good. "You think we look good together?"

She shrugged. "Yeah. I do." The lie was burning her insides but it was all she could say.

"That's too bad. She's not even my girlfriend." He answered; his teasing smile still in place.

Her eyes widen in surprised. "She…she's not?"

"No, she already has a boyfriend." He said sighing bitterly.

"Oh." She knew what that sigh meant. "So you're in love with your best friend but she already has a boyfriend?"

Jacob turned his body enough to be facing her. "I'm not in love with her. I mean, I was crushing on her for a while but not anymore. There's someone else on my mind." His husky voice sent a delightful shiver down her spine that she couldn't hide.

"She must be something then, to make you forget about your best friend."

He smiled. He wasn't sure if he was interpreting things right but he sure as hell hoped he was. Was that the reason why she had been avoiding him all week? Did she think he already had a girlfriend? And even if he did, what did it matter? They could still be friends…unless…

"She is."…s_he wanted something more!_

He was feeling so extraordinarily happy that he didn't know how to contain himself. In fact, he wasn't able to. He started laughing. She looked at him surprised and he laughed some more.

"What's so funny?"

He couldn't tell her he was genuinely just happy to be here talking to her, to feel all these different emotions. It was amazing just trying to figure out hers.

"Nothing."

"You know, my step brother Daniel had this saying. 'El que solo se rie de sus maldades se acuerda.'" She remembered Daniel would say it when someone would be laughing to themselves and didn't want to share the joke.

"What does that mean?"

"I think it would translate to something like, 'He who is laughing to himself is recalling his mischiefs.' It's kind of like when you suddenly remember something funny you did in the past and you start laughing all over again, but nobody else knows what you're laughing about."

He laughed. "I've had some of those."

"Like now?" She asked fishing for answers. She didn't know what it was but being around him had her smiling like a dork.

"I wasn't remembering anything." He too kept smiling like a dork, his entire body feeling jittery. "It's just nice being out here. No worries. No frustrations. Just here…with you."

Her stomach did a 180, making her heart skip a beat in the process. _Could she be…_? "It is nice."

She looked away, watching the forest intently. She didn't want to risk looking at him. He would be able to see everything going through her mind. He would see how she was going through every moment they had spent together, trying to find anything that would tell her if he was interested or not. But she couldn't concentrate for long. She felt his gaze on hers and almost instantly the heat began to rush to her face.

She didn't want to smile but couldn't help it. She felt happiness all through her body. It was amazing.

_He's single! _She thought.

They sat there in silence without feeling the necessity to start up a conversation. Just being there, together, thinking and re-thinking what everything meant was enough. It was like playing a seducing game, trying to guess and imply the feelings they were having.

"It's getting dark. Maybe we should get going." She started to get up. She wanted to make dinner before her dad got home. And she also didn't think she could spend much more time with Jacob without giving in to the urge of kissing him.

"We should."

But Duke had other plans. He started pulling away when Naomi started walking. He struggled against his owner, pulling in the opposite direction. Jacob got closer to help her. The dog was stronger than what he appeared to be and she was having trouble detaining him.

"Duke! Stop!" she yelled.

"Here let me help." He took the leash in his hand, tugging gently so that he wouldn't hurt the dog. But the dog stopped pulling and instead ran the other way, surprising them both. Without realizing it, Jacob had stepped over the leash, so when Duke ran the other way, he pulled Jacob with him.

Naomi saw that he was going to start falling. She rushed to try and help him but it all happen too fast. Jacob fell unable to retain Duke at their side, taking Naomi with him.

She landed flat on her back, an 'uff' left her lips as a half-naked Jacob landed on top of her. He pushed himself up, giving her some room to breathe. "I'm sorry."

He was so close to her that even with the added room she was finding it hard to breath. She could feel his breath on her, warm and steady. Her heart was going crazy just looking at his lips. "it's….it's okay."

But he didn't hear her. All he could hear was her heart as it speed up faster the closer he got. He was mesmerized by her lips. They looked so tasty, inviting. He leaned closer without realizing it, an automatic body response. He saw her eyes fluttering close in encouragement. He could almost taste her lips, sweet and warm. His heart was pumping faster than it ever had before. Their lips touched briefly, a feathery gently touch, sending what seemed like electrical shocks through their bodies, disturbing the regular pace of their hearts.

But Jacob wanted more than just a peck. His wolf demanded more. He wanted to kiss her deeply, feel her warmth, here her moan in pleasure. He wanted to feel her respond to him. He wanted to know she wanted him too.

He nibbled on her lower lip, teasing and torturing, yearning to hear her response. He needed to hear it. His hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it traveled towards her waist, pulling her closer to him. A small moan escaped her lips over the sudden contact and it almost sent Jacob over the edge.

That was his queue. The reaction he'd been waiting for to finally kiss her like he really wanted to.

"Hey shorty! I found your dog for you!" Jacob heard Paul's voice and he thought '_I'm delusional; he can't have that much bad timing!'_

But apparently he wasn't the only one that heard him. Naomi pushed Jacob off of her, embarrassed at having been caught in such a position. She could feel her face heating up. She knew all too well how red she could get and knowing that only made it worst. She thanked Paul quickly and took her dog, jogging/sprinting all the way home.

Paul watched her leave and only turned around to smirk at Jacob, winking before he left too.

Jacob saw red, his anger boiling almost uncontrollably. He was going to have to get rid of him. His enemy was becoming too dangerous, too soon.

* * *

Okay? So what do you think? was it good? oh i love making Jake and Paul compete like that. :D and personally I liked the kiss.

Review and let me know what you thought!

(Note: you know how reviews inspire me to update quicker right? Just pointing it out LOL :D)


	10. A Revived Friendship

**A/N: A big thanks to my readers, especially to PixieDustBaby1993, jj , Zerlina2111, Random Cookie Ninja, Wolfgirl42 and Wasipi. LOL I was super excited I got so many reviews. And I say many b/c I think this is the most reviews I've gotten for a single chapter. it's kind of sad if you think about it though. But whatever, I love you guys for reviewing so here's another chapter. Oh and the original chapter is coming up soon! :D**

**Enjoy + Review**

* * *

Your Guardian Wolf

Chapter 10- A Revived Friendship

She couldn't believe what just happened. He'd kissed her and she kissed him right back, to add to that, she moaned when her body touched his. She couldn't help it. The moment their bodies touched she felt a tug in the lower part of her stomach, right were her body made contact with his. It didn't help that her heart rate was off the roof and she wasn't getting enough air to think clearly.

But she'll never forget under the circumstance she was interrupted! She had never been so embarrassed before. To have felt everything she felt and have someone else witness it. Oh she just wanted to die!

She ran all the way home, sprinting faster than she had before, trying to get away from the embarrassment. Thankfully, her dad wasn't home yet so she had time to shower and compose herself. She made tacos for dinner that night, one of her dad's many favorite Mexican foods.

The few days later, she woke up extra early, grunting because in a couple of days she'd have to wake up early every day. She went downstairs looking for her dad. She wanted to ask him for some money to get her school materials among other "necessary'' things.

She walked downstairs; concealing a yawn as she reached the kitchen. Her dad was already there, reading a book.

"Morning dad." It was weird for her to see her dad reading a book rather than the sports section but she let it go, pouring herself a cup of orange juice instead.

"Morning sweetie." He took a sip of his coffee, his focus completely on the book.

She sat across from him, sipping on her juice calmly as she tried to read the title of the book. The book seemed strange but when she was finally able to read the title she burst out laughing.

"What are you reading dad!" she couldn't stop laughing. She stood up, catching him by surprised when she tried taking the book from him.

"What are you doing?" He complained, stretching out his hand behind him to put the book out of her reach.

"C'mon dad let me see!" She whined trying to push past him.

"No!"

"I already read the title." She laughed. "You don't have to read this dad. Just ask me. I could tell you what women _really_ want."

Her dad sighed in defeat, handing her the book with a role of his eyes. "You're not a woman. You're my little girl. And I don't want to talk about this. Not with you. It's way too awkward. "

"Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore. I could give you more advice than this book. I'm all grown up." she said raising the book, showing him the cover with a skanky girl on the front. "What is this anyways? 'How to become an Alpha Male'? Dad, really? It's not like you're some wolf or something."

"Hey! According to the book, women like dominant men more than a regular nice guy." He said snatching the book back. "Besides, I said I didn't want to talk to you about this."

"Fine dad, whatever. Can I get some money for some school stuff? I've only got a few more days before school starts." She said already outstretching out her hand.

He pulled out his wallet, counting the seconds until he could get out of there and end this awkwardly painful topic with his daughter. "Here, take this! And make sure you only spend it on what you need."

"Sure dad." She said, already planning on what else she could buy.

He looked at her skeptically, knowing fully well she wouldn't do that. _She'll probably come home with a new pair of shoes and clothes._

He kissed her goodbye, grabbed his keys and made sure to take the book with him. He knew if he left it behind she'd be too curious to ignore it.

"Oh C'mon dad! You don't have to take it with you!" she complained, smiling with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

He chuckled, shaking his head slowly, "Oh yes I do."

He left the house and headed out to Forks. It would be another day of patrolling the streets and keeping criminals at bay. It wasn't that he didn't like his job, he really did. Today was just a bad day. It was just that lately he'd started actually seeing his daughter. She really wasn't his little girl anymore. Soon she'd start dating and bringing guys home to introduce to him. What would he do then? He couldn't even handle this morning properly, he was sure to fail miserably when she brought a man over. How would he even react to that situation? His little girl, dating some boy who thought he was a man just because he grew a hair on his chest!

He shook his head, trying to get rid of the images quickly popping into his head. It wasn't worth thinking about right now, she's still his little girl and she'll always stay his little girl. He pulled his car into an empty parking space and headed into the office, a new idea popping into his head.

"I'll make her a nun.'' He said determinedly.

He walked into the office with a new wave of confidence, happy he'd thought of a way to keep his little girl safe from lustful teenage boys.

"Good morning, Mr. Wood." Janine said. She was their secretary, in charge of answering non-emergency phone calls and pretty much organizing everything that needed organizing. They would be a mess without her.

"Janine, what have I told you?" He asked, stopping by her desk as he looked at her expectantly.

"To drop the formalities and call you Toni." She said shyly.

"Remember that next time or I'll start calling you Ms. Davis. Agreed?" He asked.

"Agreed."

"Good."

He whistled on his way to his office, thinking about how he would try out all the pointers he read off the book. By the time he finished the book he was going to be an alpha male.

He chanted his new mantra in his head_. I am developing into a high value alpha male.__I am developing into a high value alpha male. I am developing into a high value alpha male.*_

He groaned when he saw all the paperwork he had piled on his desk. He knew he had a long day ahead of him and if he wanted to get home early he'd have to start working.

A light knock came from the door. He looked up to find a fidgeting Janine. "Mr. Wood…I mean Toni, you have Charlie on line one."

"Good catch Janine." He said smiling. "And thanks. I've got it."

She went back to her front desk, chastising herself for fretting so much every time she saw him. She could walk naked in front of him and he wouldn't ever notice her. She thought she was too ordinary looking for him. His first wife had been a real beauty. Why would he settle for less?

Back in the enclosed office, Toni picked up the phone. "Charlie?"

"I've got a 187 North East of the 101, outskirts of Lake Crescent. Get here a.s.a.p. "

"Got you Charlie but wouldn't that be more Port Angeles jurisdiction?" Toni asked confused, grabbing his badge, his 9mm and the car keys.

"Yes but they called me. Said it _could_ be connected to our unsolved cases, the ones you've been working on."

"Oh." Just remembering those cases sent a chill down his spine. He could still remember the fear etched on the victims faces, so clear even after death. "I'll be there in 30."

He hung up and took off, asking Janine on his way out to call Officer Davilla and ask him to come in early. Someone still needed to watch over Forks.

Back in his house, his daughter was getting ready to leave. She wanted to go buy her school materials early and have the rest of the day to do whatever she wanted. But while she grabbed her keys and put on her black leather jacket, a knock came from the door.

She opened the door and was surprise to see Paul. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?"

"Can't I visit a friend?" he asked stepping in before he was invited. "You're not going anywhere are you?"

"I am." She pulled him out, closing the door behind her. "So if you'll excuse me, I've got things to do."

"Great! I'll join you." He said walking towards her car. "We could catch up. It'll be like old times."

She just mumbled incoherently as she got into her car.

They drove into Forks. They arrived at the store without any problems, just casual conversation and Paul playing twenty-one questions. He wanted to know everything that happened to her after she left. He asked if she enjoyed living in North Carolina; if she got along with her new siblings even if she dated anyone while she was away.

She answered all his questions. She wasn't mad at him anymore. She had to admit, she had probably forgiven him a long time ago or else she'd still be mad. But for the sake of her dignity she was going to try and make it a little hard on him.

She quickly went through the store and looked for her things while Paul tagged along behind her, scaring away any decent guy who wanted to approach her.

"So…."He started. It was awkward for him to bring up the subject, but he knew he had to. "…you and Jacob, huh?"

"Pssh! No!" she said quickly, walking faster towards the other isle, away from him.

"C'mon shorty, you don't have to lie to me."

After what happened yesterday and finding out Jacob actually imprinted on her, Paul had felt betrayed. He continued his patrol thinking and trying to understand what was happening. All he knew is that his pack brother had imprinted on the girl that was most important to him. Someone he had just gotten back and didn't want to lose again.

Their disagreement shouldn't have gotten that far, but he'd be damned before he ever admitted that to anyone. In a way Jacob had more of a right to her than he did. But he wasn't going to just play good dog and lay down.

His thoughts however took another route after catching those two in such a compromising position. He knew his shorty more than anyone else in his life. She wasn't someone to react like that just to anyone. Yeah, she reacted like that with him but it wasn't the same. Back then, they could have actually had a chance. They had a strong friendship that united them. But by the time he realized that his feelings for her were getting stronger he was too late. He had fucked up and she didn't want to see him anymore.

But he didn't regret kissing her.

In fact, the only thing he regretted was being an idiot and kissing her on the wrong day. But now he realized that his friendship with her was more important than anything else. He couldn't fight and hope to win against an imprint. So why ruin something he just got back?

It didn't mean however that he would stop fucking with Jacob's mind. _That pup seriously needs to get his shit straight!_ He thought.

"I'm not lying!" she said trying to avoid eye contact.

Paul put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to him. "It's okay if you're starting to like him. I won't tell." He whispered, leaning his chin on her head.

She looked up; her heart felt like it would burst with joy. It felt just like the old times with Paul; like nothing had ever happened and they were still best friends. "Um…so maybe he's kind of cute. But that's all though."

He chuckled and pulled her closer to him. Anyone watching from the outside would think they were a cute couple that was deeply in love. "He's an okay guy. But promise me something."

"What?" She asked. Her head was leaning against his chest, listening to his steadily beating heart.

"Don't make it easy on him."

"When have I ever?" she said looking at him with a smile.

He hugged her tightly, inhaling her scent deeply, filing him with joy. "I've missed you.'' He whispered.

"I've missed you too."

She felt him smiling against her head and she smiled back, even though he couldn't see her. She hugged him tightly questioning him about his high body temperature.

"oh…umm…it's an anti-weather mechanism.'' He answered nervously. "Didn't Jacob tell you?"

He pulled away, straightening out his shirt in the process.

"He mentioned something about the weather." She said.

"Okay then. But now you need to keep your distance. Chicks are gonna think we're together." He said, looking around to see if anyone had seen them.

She laughed. "oh c'mon babe! It's about time we told the world we love each other!"

He lifted his brow questioningly, watching her intently, knowing she was about to do something she shouldn't be doing. "No. You're not gonna do whatever your thinking of doing!"

"Paul! Oh Paul!" she started "I lov…"

Paul covered her mouth, looking around them quickly making sure no one was looking. "Stop it! You'll ruin my rep.!" He muttered under his breath, close enough to her ears so she could hear.

"..em.. me.. tal…kk…" she struggled against him but his hold was too strong for her.

"It's in your best interest to keep your mouth shut…my love."

"..kay…et..off. meee."She continued. He finally let go of her, standing close to her just in case she decided to scream something stupid again.

"I was just playing around." She whined.

"And ruining my reputation in the process, right?"

"Me? Nooo! I wouldn't! " she said in mock innocence.

"Uhum…whatever." He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the register. "C'mon lets go to Emily's. I'm sure she's got some food."

After paying they made their way towards Emily's house. Naomi let Paul drive. She knew he wanted to drive her brother's car for a while now. So instead of waiting for him to start begin, she decided to get it over with.

Paul smiled evilly when he got behind the wheel. He excitedly turned on the car, pressing down on the clutch to put the car into first gear. Once it was in first gear, he started accelerating and slowly letting go of the clutch. He wanted to know if he still remembered how to drive standard.

His current car was an automatic jeep and it had been a long time since he'd driven a standard. He caught a red light on his way towards La Push. He looked over to Naomi, smiled and told her to hold on. As soon as the light turned green he slammed his foot on the accelerator, hesitating a little before letting go of the clutch. The car peeled out, burning rubber as he sped away to La Push. Naomi laughed so hard when he saw a lady pulling her kid into her arms when Paul took off. It was funny because she was on the other side of the street barely coming out of a store!

Paul slowed down after she told him he'd be paying if they got a ticket. The car didn't have insurance yet. They arrived at Emily's house within ten minutes. Paul got out of the car and Naomi quickly followed. She didn't want to be left behind and then have to go in by herself. She grabbed onto his elbow, before he knocked on the door.

Embry opened the door, looking a little surprised to see Paul with Naomi, especially with Naomi hanging on to him the way she was.

"Hey shorty, haven't seen you a while." Embry said pulling her into a hug.

"I know but I'm here now."

They walked in and Naomi couldn't believe how crowded the small house was. She was even more surprised and a little heartbroken to see Bella snuggling very intimately next to Jacob. She felt betrayed, played with. She tried to control her anger and disappointment. But even noticing her broken leg didn't seem to work.

_I should have known better._ She wanted to leave, run away and hide. She felt humiliated just standing in the same room with him. He kissed her, sparkling all sorts of emotions in her and then he goes and plays house with some other girl.

But she swallowed her pride and hung on to Paul. She thought she heard a growl coming from him when he saw Jacob and Bella, but she quickly pushed it aside. Only animals growl like that.

She saw as Jacob kept his gaze on them, an angry expression on his face. She didn't care. Let him think whatever he wanted. She looked away from him retuning her full attention to Paul and Embry who were saving a spot for her on the couch. She sat between them, feeling crowded and uncomfortable. She could still feel Jacob's gaze on her but she refuse to give into temptation and look up.

So to help with that she started up a conversation with Embry. "Sooo…. Embry, are you new around here?"

He laughed. "No! Why are you asking me that?"

She felt a little nervous and foolish but she needed to distract herself. "Because I don't remember seeing you before, when I used to live here."

He was now turning slightly towards her, giving her his full attention. "Oh, well I've lived here all my life. Maybe you just don't remember."

She bit her lower lip trying to contain her teasing smile. "Oh no! I would definitely remember a face like yours."

A few OH's , Ah's and Yeah Baby! Went around the room. He looked nervous and fidgeted a little in his seat. But then he turned around and smiled shyly. "I could say the same about you."

She was so embarrassed. She couldn't believe she was actually flirting, or trying to flirt, with a guy in front of so many.

_What the hell has gotten into me?_

"So we can safely say we've never met before." She said as she started to feel her cheeks heating up.

"We can." She looked at him smiling into his light brown eyes. That's when she saw it. He knew what she was doing. He knew that she wanted to forget about Jacob and Bella sitting on the other side of the room. He knew how she felt.

He smiled knowingly and she started loving him then. She saw him differently. He saw him for the amazing man he was. Because only a man like him would play along knowing fully well he had no chance because her heart pumped faster for someone that didn't deserve it.

_Why can't I like him instead?_

Paul cleared his throat very loudly. "If you two are done soul searching, can you stop with the eye connection thing you've got going on?"

She blushed deeply. "You're just hating cuz you want to soul search too."

Paul laced his arms over her shoulders and pulled her to him, making her face him. "Baby, I've already found my soul mate."

"Lame!"

"Corny!"

Cough. "Loser!" Cough.

She laughed at the guys' reaction. "Fuck you!" a typical Paul response.

Naomi felt bad for Paul so she looked at him and tried to make him feel better. "It wasn't that bad." She said loudly for everyone to hear. "Just don't do it again." She continued in a rushed whisper for only his ears. But it seemed everyone heard because they started laughing.

But Paul sat there with a wicked smile on, his own arm securely placed over her shoulders. "I wanna see you this close to her."

The room quickly became silent, a couple of groans and complains circling the room. "That's what I thought." He added.

_Cocky Paul! He hasn't changed a bit._ She thought, savoring the moment like one of her old memories.

They sat there watching movie after movie, occasionally getting up to refill on soda or chips. It was getting late and she knew she should be heading home but for some reason she didn't want to be the first to go. She didn't want to leave before Bella or Jacob left. She wasn't sure why she felt like that but she simply ignored it and passed it of as feminine insecurities.

She was getting ready to call her dad and ask for permission to stay longer but he texted her first.

_Honey, I'll be home late. Billy called me up says he wanted to catch up over some beers. You know I can't turn down good beer w/ a friend. If you can stay over at a friend's house I would feel better. I don't like leaving you home all alone. Txt me bak n tell me where ur staying. :D luv u_

She tried not to laugh but it was so typical of her dad to start using text lingo only when he was running out of characters. She got up and walked over to Leah who was making herself a sandwich in the kitchen.

"Hey skittles."

"Hey shorty what's up?" Leah asked taking a bite out of her ginormous sandwich.

"Can I stay over your place today?" Naomi asked nervously. She knew she shared a friendship with Leah but she didn't know how strong it was yet.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked trying to talk around the food in her mouth.

"No. Dad is just going to be home supper late and he doesn't like me staying there alone."

"Oh. Yeah its fine." She took another bite, chewing dramatically before drinking some soda.

"You sure your mom won't mind." I asked amazed she could eat like that.

"Uh huh. It's cool."

"Thanks"

Naomi turned around to leave but instead bummed into Paul. "Ouch!"

"Sorry shorty. I'm heading out. I got a call from….um…my mom. She needs help with something." He was fidgeting, pivoting his foot with his hands in his pockets.

He was hiding something. "You sure she didn't just tell you to get your ass home?" Leah asked.

"Whatever Leah. Clean your face, you've got food all over." He said disgustingly. Leah whipped her mouth with the back of her hand looking a tad bit ashamed. But then stared at Paul angrily when she realized he was just fucking with her.

"See you later then." Naomi said.

Paul hugged her and then took off, wondering why Billy had called him and asked him to come urgently to his house and make sure no one knew he was going there. He decided to stop speculating and just get there. He'd find out soon enough.

* * *

**A/N: * Ch. 3 page 21 of "How to become an Alpha Male" by John Alexander. (Just giving him credit for the phrase) ::D don't wanna get in trouble lol.**

**So this chapter seemed like a filler but you'll be amazed how much happens in a filler that leads to so many other interesting things. :D.**

**On another note, what did you guys think of her dads POV? I wanted to show you what kind of person he is b/c he's not just going to be sitting on the sidelines in this story. :D oh and what about Billy? What do you think _he _wants from Paul?**

**Important details you shouldn't forget:**

** Duke- her dog has a role to play.**

** Dad—not just there to feed her. :D**

** The grumpy guy from the store. :D Muahhaa! Cough…cough…**

**Please don't forget to review! They really do make me happy and anxious to update again. :D**

**(Sorry i updated then removed. i noticed an inconsistency... sorry. :D i think i fixed it though. Bella give me trouble even as a fictional character. :/)**


	11. Not my Daughter

**A/N: Here the next chappy. Hope you like this one. I pushed myself to work on it and update :D just for you guys.**

**Enjoy + Review!**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 11—Not my daughter**

Paul pulled his clothes on as he walked out of the forest towards Jacob's house. He saw a police cruiser outside and felt a wave of fear and panic rush through him. He ran to the house, hoping Billy was okay. But when he got closer he heard voices and laughter coming from inside. He felt relieved and knocked instead.

Billy opened the door, averting his eyes and searching behind him. Paul looked back too, fully expecting to find someone there.

"Wait for me outside. I'll call you when I need you." Billy said in a rushed whisper. "Oh and if someone is coming knock three times."

He closed the door without warning, leaving behind a shocked and confused Paul staring at the wooden door. He sighed deeply and sat down on the porch steps, silently listening to the voices coming from inside.

"Who was that?"

"Oh a friend of my son. I told him he wasn't here." Billy replied. He was worried of whether he was doing the right thing or not. He knew Anthony could physically handle the shock better than Harry but he wasn't willing to risk it. Especially now that Charlie had confident in him and told him about the mysterious case Toni was handling. It had leech written all over it.

"He's at Emily's too?" Toni asked. He didn't even know who Emily was. All he knew was that his daughter was always over at her house.

Billy was surprised. "How do you know that?"

"Because my daughter is there too. She's been hanging out with those kids almost since she returned. I'm not sure I like it. Isn't that trouble maker part of that group?"

"What trouble maker?" Billy asked confused. He had a feeling that telling and convincing him had just become harder.

"That Uley boy. The one that disappeared and came back on steroids." Toni asked. He leaned into the recliner, relaxing his muscles and taking a long sip of his beer.

"Sam? No! He's a nice boy! He doesn't do any of those things." Billy said a bit defensively.

Toni didn't reply. Instead he took another sip of his beer and closed his eyes, regretting it almost instantly when images of the cadaver he examined earlier came flashing through his mind. He shook his head and opened his eyes, pushing the images away.

"You okay there?"

Toni sighed. "Yes. It's just been a long day. That's all."

_And its' about to get longer,_ Billy thought.

"Take another beer." Billy offered, handing him another beer as he discarded the empty bottle Toni handed back. "So tell me Toni. What have you been doing that has kept you too busy to visit an old pal?"

He laughed. "I'm not the busy one. Look at you! Member of the Tribe council! I'm impressed!"

"Well you know how things happen sometimes." Billy said. "Besides, leadership is in my blood. It was only a matter of time." He added cockily, hopping to lighten the mood.

Toni laughed, hard, unable to contain himself. "Wow Billy. How modest of you!"

"Should I be grateful then that you've allowed me to be in your presence?" He asked mockingly.

Billy rolled his eyes. "Cut the crap Toni. I was just kidding."

Toni was shocked. He had never heard Billy use a vulgar word so freely. "I see you've added new words to your vocabulary."

"Being around so many teenagers…something has to stick, right?" Billy said, shrugging indifferently.

"And it so happened to be their colorful vocabulary?"

"Exactly!" Billy said reaching out for a beer for himself. "Comes in useful sometimes.''

Toni chuckled to himself. "I never thought I'd lived to see the day."

After that they sat there in silence, each of them thinking about their own problems.

Billy broke the silence first. "Charlie told me about your unsolved cases."

Toni was a bit surprised but didn't linger on it too much. "How much did he tell you?"

It was time for Billy to bring up the conversation he knew he had to have with him. "Enough to know that what you're dealing with isn't normal."

Toni sighed heavy with burden. It troubled him that he couldn't tell the family of the victims what actually happened to them or who was responsible. "That's what I think so too. The bastard must be a psychopath!"

"Probably." Billy said repulsively.

"At first we thought they were animal attacks. But the accuracy of the strikes and there consistency's throughout the victims proved that theory wrong. It's a sick bastard who gets a kick out of draining his victims of their blood and then slashing their bodies almost beyond recognition. All except for the long cut on their neck and their untouched faces." Toni said remembering the bodies he'd witness in that state. Everything was mutilated all except their throats and faces. It was like the bastard got a kick out of seeing their terrified faces, even after death. And every single one of them had a long, deep vertical cut on their throat that ran alongside the artery.

"Must be tough." Billy was getting nervous. He didn't know how to say it. It's not like he could tell him straight out and expect him to have a sane reaction. He needed to prepare him.

"It's discouraging and frightening knowing he's still out there, moving up and down Washington without a pattern. I have a daughter for Christ sake! I have to protect her and how can I do that with the lunatic on the loose?"

This was the best chance he'd get to bring up the subject. "What if I told you she's perfectly safe?" Billy asked.

Toni looked at him completely confused. "Safe? How?"

"You've heard about our Quileute Legends, right?" Billy said. Once he started this particular conversation he wouldn't be able to turn around and pretend he never brought it up.

Toni looked at him incredulously. He couldn't believe he was bringing those old legends up but he'd humor him and listen. "Yes. What about them?" He said taking a drink from his beer. It was starting to get warm. He wouldn't let it go to waste.

"Do you remember the legend that told us our ancestors had the power of astral projection?"

"Yes." Toni answered taking another long sip, wondering what Billy was getting at.

"Then I suppose you know the legend of Taha Aki and The Third Wife?"

"I do Billy but I really don't see how our tribe legends can protect my daughter." Toni said chuckling towards the end.

Billy sighed in frustration. "The ability to transform into a wolf has not died. The magic, the gene, it's still in our blood!"

Toni looked at Billy now with a worried expression on his face. His friend was losing it. "Billy…." He said concerned.

But Billy didn't let him finish. "Listen to me Toni. Listen carefully. Our people have been protected from _their_ kind more times than you could ever imagine."

"Their kind?" Toni didn't even know why he was playing along. He knew perfectly well he shouldn't encourage him.

"The cold ones."

That's it. He couldn't go along with this anymore. "That's enough Billy! It's not real. They're just stupid legends made up to entertain the kids. Nothing more."

"I can prove it."

He managed to catch Toni off guard. Billy knew he might not have said things in the right order or brought up any of it the right way. But it was too late now. He had to finish what he started.

"You know me Toni. Do I seem like the kind of person to make something like this up?" He asked hoping the ties of childhood friendship were still strong between them.

Toni sighed deeply. He was doing a lot of that lately. "No. Unless you've gone completely crazy."

Billy smiled seeing his old friends speculation wavering. "Do I look crazy to you?"

Toni actually laughed. "Yeah! And you sound crazy too!"

He rested his head on the recliner and looked at the ceiling. He didn't understand why he was caving in so easily. Part of him wanted to believe him; to believe that his daughter was safely protected. The other part didn't want to because if the stories about the wolves were real than so were the other ones.

"Show me." He finally managed to say. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, waiting to see what Billy had in store for him.

Billy smiled, relieved that his friend hadn't gone crazy and stubbornly held on to _his _reality. "You can come in now." He said wheeling himself to face the door.

The door opened slowly to reveal a troubled Paul. He hesitated before coming in. He wasn't sure if they should be doing this. Did the others know? Billy was breaking one of their rules!

"Billy…I don't thing we… "He started, his gaze anxiously wavering between both men in the room.

"Calm down boy. You'll understand soon enough." Billy said trying to calm him down. He knew what he was thinking. He was right. No one else knew what he was doing. He took it upon himself to make that decision. Old Quil and some of the other council members could be too stubborn sometimes to make the right decision. And Billy was sure this was the right decision. What better than to have the law by their side?

"Paul! Well look at you! You're so big! Been working out lately haven't you?" Toni asked excitedly walking over and pulling him into a hug. It had been a while since he'd seen him. He always liked the boy. He only threatened to arrest him to make his daughter feel better after their fall out. He even thought Paul would make a good son-in-law.

"Have you made up with my daughter yet? She's a stubborn girl. She takes after me." Toni said proudly without even allowing him to answer. He pointed at Paul excitedly and looked at Bill, "I always wanted him to be my son in law. I still have some hope!"

Billy looked away uncomfortably while Paul chuckled nervously. They were both aware that Jacob imprinted on Naomi, and knew things weren't going to get any easier after Toni found out. "What are you doing here son? Are you here to listen to Billy's crazy talk too?"

Paul looked between both of them and continued to chuckle nervously. He didn't know what to do with himself. He felt so uncomfortable, more so now knowing he'd won Toni over like that. Once again he damned the imprinting shit.

"It's not crazy talk. You'll see." Billy said. He turned his attention back to Paul, keeping eye contact while he spoke. "Paul…I need you to phase."

"What? No!"

"Calm down Paul. Show him, he needs to know." Billy wanted him to realize it was important he did it. "He can help us too."

"If the others find out…"

Billy raised his hands and stopped him. "I'll take the blame. It's my decision and mine alone."

Paul fell a little better but still had his doubts. It wasn't that he feared the pack and the council, he was afraid that Naomi's dad wouldn't be able to handle it. "If you say so."

He started walking towards the front door but Billy stopped him. "Not there boy, someone could see you. Let's go to the back yard."

Paul only shrugged grabbed the handles from Billy's wheel chair and directed him towards the back. As soon as he stepped outside he started stripping but stopped when Toni started freaking out. "What the hell is he doing! Put your clothes back on!"

"Calm down Toni. He takes his clothes off so he won't tear them up. Just turn around or look away."

He looked apprehensive but turned around anyways. Paul continued to remove his clothing. He allowed himself to connect with the wolf, to feel the warmth traveling through his body as it trembled until he phased, landing on all fours.

Toni turned around as soon as he heard the loud thud. His eyes became so round that Paul actually thought they might come out of their sockets. He snorted, smugly looking at his best friend's father. He was pointing at him, mouth ajar as he looked back and forth between him and Billy.

"Fucken shit Billy! Get the gun!" Toni yelled backing away into the house again. He started to turn around but Billy wouldn't let him pass.

"That's Paul! Toni you can't!" For the first time all night he was seriously regretting making this decision. The last thing he ever wanted was to have one of his boys hurt.

Toni looked back, shaking his head. "That can't be him! It just doesn't happen!"

But before he could come up with any more excuses the wolf before him shivered, its' form becoming blurry until a naked and very scared Paul appeared in front of them. "Sir…it's just me…. And I don't want to die." Paul said worriedly, covering his manhood with his hands

Toni blinked several time, thinking he'd finally gone crazy. "I think I had too many beers." He said rubbing is eyes determinedly.

He walked back inside and dropped into the couch, eyes closed.

Billy and a fully dressed Paul followed him in, worried over his lack of emotion at the moment. He looked tired, older. It seemed as if he'd aged years within seconds. He looked so distressed Billy actually started to feel bad for him.

"Sir?"

But he didn't answer. He continued to lay there palm pressed against his forehead, massaging his scalp rhythmically. His breathing was even but his heart was going crazy. That worried Paul. He didn't want another Harry incident. Naomi would never forgive him.

"You can kill those things?" Toni finally asked. It was more of a whisper, tired and fearful.

"Yes sir."

"Is it one of them Billy? Are they connected to my cases?" he continued to ask never stopping his soothing massage of his own scalp.

"I think so Toni. That's why I needed you to know. So that you could be careful."

Toni chuckled heartlessly. "How am I supposed to defend myself against those things Billy? I don't…_transform_…into a…into a giant wolf!"

Paul felt a little hurt but he understood his reaction. In fact, he thought Mr. Wood was taking it very well. "We could help with that sir. Whenever you had one of those cases, you could call us. We'd go and find a trail, follow it and kill the bastard."

"We?"

Billy sighed, knowing it was time to reveal the rest of his story. "You know that _little gang_ you think Sam has? Well, Sam is the alpha, in charge of all the wolves and protecting our lands, our people….in charge of protecting your daughter."

Toni sat up at the reminder of his daughter. "He's protecting her?"

"We all are sir. She's very important to us." Paul answered.

"Toni, they protect everybody. But your daughter…it seems she's showing symptoms." Billy added, watching his friend intently. He knew he should have waited to say all this another day. It could be too much for him in just one night. But he really hated the idea of starting this all over again.

"Symptoms?"

"Intense anger followed by tremors through the body, like mood swings, high body temperature, dreams, rebellion, anxiety to do something or be somewhere."

"Billy, that's called teenage years." Toni said looking at both of them like they've lost their minds.

Billy raised an eyebrow in annoyance. "Has she been acting up lately?"

Anthony just had to smile. He'd prove him wrong. "Not at all. She's been as good as an angel."

"That's because she's were she's supposed to be!" Billy said completely throwing Toni of his game. "Her wolf is calm now that she's with her own."

"That's not true!" Toni accused, refusing to believe his little girl was going to change into an oversized wolf; that she'd be responsible for tracking down and killing those creatures of the night.

"Why did Katherine send her to you?"

"Because my daughter wanted to be with me! Is that so wrong?" Toni said in denial. But Billy remained silent and waited for him to continue. After a minute he did. "She might have been getting a little out of control too."

"Her wolf was restless. It could sense the others, the danger around her, and it became aggressive. But now she's among her people and she's back to normal Toni. Can you see what I'm trying to tell you?"

Anthony didn't like what he was hearing. His daughter couldn't possibly become one of the protectors. He wouldn't let her! She was his baby and he'd rather go to hell and come back before he ever allowed her to willingly put herself in danger. La Push already had enough protectors he didn't understand why they needed more. No, he wouldn't allow it to happen. He'd file for a transfer. He'd get out of La Push and take his daughter with him, far away from all this supernatural insanity.

He wasn't willing to put his beautiful daughter through the kind of pain and suffering transforming into a wolf could bring. "No Billy! My daughters isn't one of them. She isn't! I won't have it! I won't!" He stood up and took off, straight out the door towards his car.

As soon as he stepped outside and saw the darkness of the night, he couldn't help but wonder if he was alone, supernaturally alone. He would always question things now. He wouldn't be able to live a normal life anymore. He would always be afraid for his daughter, afraid something would happen to her. The nun idea was looking better and better as the hours passed. What better place than a convent to be safe, close to God and far away from those monsters.

He heard footsteps behind him but he did not stop. He got into his car and locked his door. He was having trouble trying to assimilate and believe what they said to him was true. They didn't just tell him, they showed him! Yet he couldn't believe. He didn't want to believe. He looked up and saw Paul leaning against the porch railing, looking sad and hurt. Toni didn't have anything against the boy. He didn't judge him for what he was. He just didn't want his little girl becoming one too. It wasn't the life he envisioned for her.

He looked at his phone, and hour had passed since he'd send Naomi the text and she hadn't replied. He felt instantly scared. He quickly dialed her number and waited for her to answer. Ring after ring his heart pounded faster in his chest.

"Hey Dad." He sighed, releasing the air he didn't know he was holding in.

"Hi sweetie. Did you get my text?" It felt so good to hear her voice and know she was alright. He knew where she was, surrounded by werewolves. But he knew she was safe even if he still didn't want her turning into one.

"Yes dad. Sorry I didn't text back. I got distracted talking to Leah" Was Sue's daughter one of them too? Toni only remembered ever seeing boys with Sam.

"Clearwater?" He asked.

"Yeah. You know her?"

"Isn't she the girl your brother liked?" He asked remembering the friendship his son shared with her.

"Shhhhh! Dad! You'll blow his cover!"

He laughed, typical of his daughter to look after her brother's best interest, even though he was so far away. "Sorry! I didn't know!" he felt better now that he was talking to her. It made him feel like nothing had changed. "Are you staying with Leah tonight?"

"Yeah dad. Are you still at Billy's?"

"Yes, we have a lot of catching up to do." As much as he hated it, now that he knew about the supernatural and their involvement with his daughter, he needed to know everything. He'd find a way to protect her.

She was silent for a little. "Umm. Well okay. Call me later when you get home so I know you got there safe, okay?"

"Okay sweetie. Call me too okay?"

"M'kay. Bye. Love you.''

"Love you too."

Naomi closed the phone feeling a little concern over her dad. He sounded strange, troubled maybe. She wasn't sure any more about staying over at Leah's house. She would feel better once she was sure her dad was okay. She didn't need to ask him to know something was wrong. He wasn't the best person in hiding his emotions. She could always tell when he was struggling with problems.

"Noami?" She stiffened. The body that belonged with that voice was the last person she wanted to talk to. She could feel the heat radiating off of his body. He was so close to her she could smell him. She didn't want to talk to him. She turned around trying to evade him by walking to the side but he only took a step and was blocking her escape once again. This time however, she was face to face with his chest.

He reached for her arm but she flinched back. He grimaced but didn't except and other reaction from her. "Can we talk?"

"I can't. I have to go." She said walking out of the house. She knew the rest of the guys were watching them. She could feel their eyes on them. They probably knew what happened. She smirked to herself when she realized Bella probably went after them after hearing Embry and Quil enthusiastically inviting her to watch the rest of the movie with them. She heard what sounded like a stomp and a loud humph as someone dropped onto the sofa right after.

She walked out of the house, heading home. She realized it was dark but the light of the full moon enlightened everything well. Besides, she was never really afraid of the dark, just occasionally terrified. She was tempted to go back and get Leah but didn't want to risk running into Jacob's girlfriend.

"Nim..Naomi! Wait! Please let me explain!" He was right behind her, keeping up without a struggle. She increased her pace holding back enough so it didn't look like she was breaking into a jog.

"I don't need your explanations. I know what you're playing at and it's not going to work with me!" she didn't trust herself to simply just talk to him without going into a full out rampage. She was mad, beyond pissed off! How dare he try to talk to her even with his _obvious_ girlfriend right next to him? She was sure he lied to her. A friend wouldn't look at him the way Bella did. She wouldn't cling to him in a silence territorial claim every time a girl showed up. Least of all, a friend wouldn't try to stop him from coming after her, not unless she had romantic feelings for him. Naomi was sure Bella held romantic feelings for Jacob. She didn't want to interfere there. The last thing she needed was to be involved in a dramatic love triangle.

"She got into an accident and she needs me. I swear Nimi she's not my girlfriend!"

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Nimi?" She asked turning slightly and looked at him questionably.

He looked nervous, like he didn't know what to say. "I meant Naomi."

He felt utterly stupid for having slipped like that. How was he supposed to explain it? He was completely embarrassed and he was sure she knew it. "Your name feels long sometimes so…umm…I made it shorter."

She looked away from him, hiding a smile that she couldn't hold back. He gave her a nickname and he was blushing adorably! It was so not fair! "I'm not sure I like it."

Of course she liked it! She wasn't going to tell him that thought. She continued walking, feeling his warmth's next to her as he kept up with her. "Oh, I could stop."

She bit her lower lip. "I could get used to it though."

He looked at her trying to catch a glimpse of her face, but she wouldn't let him. She kept looking away from him. He wanted to look at her and see her face, her expression. He reached for her arm and pulled her to an abrupt stop. "Look at me."

She looked up at him, her smile gone. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Let go of me!"

"I didn't mean to pull you like that." He said letting go of her, his face looking apologetic. "I just wanted to make sure you believed me."

"Why is it so important that I believe you?"

He sighed. He wasn't ready to tell her he was starting to like her but he didn't want her to think he had something going on with Bella. That wasn't the case and he knew now it would never be. "Because…the other day…on the beach…" he stepped closer to her, starting to feel a thick emotion in his chest. "…I felt…I've never felt like that before. I think I want to feel like that again." He said, closing the little distance between them, lifting his hand to rest it on her cheek.

Her breathing hitched at his touch. He heard her inhale deeply and his own heart skipped a beat when hers started pumping faster. He could feel the desire and need coursing through him as he leaned closer to her. He rested his left hand on her waist, pulling her closer to him as his other hand traveled down her neck, pulling her lips to his. She didn't struggle against him. On the contrary, she leaned closer, her body touching him seductively, fitting perfectly against his own.

He grazed his lips softly against hers, sucking gently; waiting for her to respond. He felt her hand roam his chest and his body was consumed with pleasure. He pulled her closer to him, breathing heavily as his desires turned into lust. He could feel the wolf in him struggling to take over and claim her mouth. But he fought him off. He wanted to savor her, taste and enjoy what could be considered their first kiss. He wanted so many things right now but he knew better than to give into his desires.

Instead he cradled her against him, savoring the proximity and the feel of her lips against his. His lips were on hers, gently touching hers as he reined in his lust. The tip of his lounge slowly caressed her lower lip, teasingly begin for entrance.

"Hey Shorty! Are you okay?" Leah said from somewhere in the distance.

He felt her body tense up instantly but he refused to let her go. It wasn't happening again. He wasn't going to let someone interrupt them again! He tried to kiss her; to actually kiss and not tease her but she pulled away.

"Jake stop!" She whispered urgently as she tried to pull away.

He let her go reluctantly feeling the desire and lust in him being replaced by anger. This wasn't happening to him! Did he have that much bad luck or had his pack conspired against him? Whichever it was he didn't care anymore.

He was going to have to add another person to his "Must kill!" list.

* * *

**Me:** Muahhhaha *cough, cough* muahaha *cough and clears throat* I bet Jacob wants to add me to his "Must Kill!" list too! :D lol

**Jacob:** Fuck yeah I do! Why do you keep interrupting me? You tease me and tease me and never give in! *sighs angrily* you're so lucky you're her creator.

**Me:** I'm sorry Jacob but don't fret, soon really soon, you'll get your kiss. And if you behave *wink wink* I can give you more! *blush* (…LOL…)

**Jacob:** *smiles seductively* I can work with that.

**Me:** *squeal!*

...

**Me:** *tries to breath before addressing readers* So….What did you think? Poor Toni is having a hard time isn't he? And Jacob keeps fucking up. I think my next chapter will be the original or the next after that.

Hope you liked it please review. I'm working on a preview and will PM it to the reviewers. Don't get me wrong…it's not a bribe… :D …. it's a reward. ;D I can't give you cookies or cake or a tequila shot…:D… so I give you a personal preview. :D you like the idea?


	12. A Mind of its Own

**A/N: Here you go my lovely's! I'm not sure if I should consider this chapter a filler. It could be but I needed it to pave the way for the Original chapter. There are a couple things i need to say. I actually don't remember the last time i did this but...**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing aside from Naomi, her dog(Duke) her dad, and her Forks friends. and bit's and pieces of jacob :D lol jk**

**Also, there are a few songs I mention in this chapter.**

**First song is "In my low low" by Mr. Sancho :D( I love this song!)**

**Second Song is "Nice and Slow" by Usher :D :D (I could hear it over and over n never get tired of it)**

**[Third, "Neighbors know my name" By Trey Songz :D :D :D [lol just a bit of teasing, love the song too :)]**

**Special thanks to Zerlina2111 and sthrnpanther06 for reviewing the last chapter. i hope you enjoyed your preview! Thanks also for those who added me to their favorite stories and alerts! :D**

**Oh! before I forget, remember the rating. I might have chosen it for safety but now that i have it... i think i would like to expand my possibilities :D**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 12- A Mind of its Own**

School started two weeks ago and she was doing all she could to maintain some distance between herself and Jacob. There was a certain hold he had over her that she didn't like. How was it possible that one second she was beyond pissed at the boy and the next thing she knew, she wanted to straddle him!

She was so embarrassed! She couldn't even look Leah in the eyes!

That night, she slept in Leah's house and not for a second did she escape her teasing glances. She would make suggestive comments here and there. Noises and moans that sounded too familiar and seductive. She even started singing a song Nimi didn't think Leah knew!

"…just me and you all alone on the open road, and you love it when I do that thing (that thing, that thing), that makes you moan, you're the prefect level, perfect base, travel perfect tone….now baby take the steering wheel but don't lose control, when you grab my clutch and shift it make sure that you do it slow, baby you're my rida (rida, rida) ….baby you're my rida…"

She covered her ears. "Stop it Leah!" she didn't need more erotic images in her head! She was already having enough trouble trying to stay away from him! Did she think it was easy trying to push away the image of herself straddling Jacob on her own bed moving up and down, riding him like a cowgir…

_No! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! _She thought, shaking her head hoping to get rid of the images.

But Leah only laughed. "…gonna raise the heat up, make you hot, sweaty  
like a fever, here my switch, whatcha' bounce, guarantee you can never wear me out, you know  
what I'm about in and out, make you shout so, so loud, so girl are you ready? I know that you're ready…"

_I don't need this!_

But her imagination got away from her anyways. She saw his hands on her waist guiding her, synchronizing her movements with his own. He moaned in pleaser before aggressively switching places with her, taking control. He moved over her, slowly sliding in and…

_OH my fucking shit! Stop it Naomi! Stop it! Oh my God! I need a cold shower!_

"Leah!"

"What?" Leah said feigning innocence, lying on her bed watching the ceiling as if nothing was wrong with the world.

Naomi just huffed in annoyance and covered her head with Leah's blue covers. She was sleeping on the floor, away from Leah's teasing smile and yet she still managed to embarrass her!

"Don't you want to know what he's thinking?" Leah asked.

"PSH! No! "

Leah laughed, pushed herself up, leaning on her elbow and looked at Naomi. "I know what he's thinking."

There was a momentary silence as Naomi considered finding out. Leah couldn't possibly know what he was thinking but she was sure Leah had a better idea than herself, since she's known him longer.

But Leah didn't wait for her to answer. "…let me take you to a place nice and quiet…there ain't no one there to interrupt…ain't gotta rush…I just wanna take it nice and slow…"

"Fuck off Leah!" Naomi said, sinking her face back into the pillow.

"Oh! You don't like that one?" Leah said pulling herself into a sitting position. "How about this one?"

"….I bet the neighbors know my name…Way you screamin scratchin yellin…Bet the neighbors know my name…They be stressin while we sexing…I bet the neighbors know my name…My name my name…"

Naomi grunted in frustration, sat up grabbing her pillow and threw it across the room. It hit Leah right on the face but all she did was laugh. "Oh! You have no Idea! I could go on all night long!"

They fell silent; Leah's eye's going wide in realization as Naomi burst out laughing.

"I bet you could!" Naomi said smiling widely. She felt triumphant! Now she had something to tease _her_ about!

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"AAllll Nighttt LOOOOOONG!" Naomi teased.

"Fine! You win. Let's just go to sleep." Leah said throwing herself backwards on her bed, pulling the covers over her head. "Wouldn't want to keep you from dreaming." she mumbled.

"What was that?" Naomi called from the floor. She heard her perfectly well she just wanted to see if she'd dare repeat it again. _I can go on all night long too Leah!_ She thought.

"Nothing."

"That's what I thought."

That night she had a very vivid dream. A dream that would shame her if anyone ever found out. She began dreaming constantly after that. Two weeks had gone by and she continued to dream regularly. And for some reason Jacob was mostly in all of them. That's why she felt a need to keep a reasonable amount of distance between them. That hold she felt he hand over her was tearing up her nerves!

And her history class wasn't helping! She was exhausted, drained of her energy and all she wanted to do was go home and take a nice, long warm bath. It was the last class of the day and she fought with herself, trying to keep her concentration on the teacher and the review for an upcoming quiz. But her thoughts seemed to have a mind of their own as everything, even the slightest smirk, or movement from a fellow alumni reminded her of Jacob. She was constantly comparing every guy to him. Without even knowing, she found faults in them that Jacob lacked. She knew she had to do something about her attraction for him, regardless of what it was. All she knew is that whatever she did decided to do, she had to do it fast.

She knew she was being conspicuous in her avoiding techniques but she didn't know any other way. She didn't know how to be near him and prevent the abnormal beating of her heart. Twice he had kissed her and twice it had been a mistake.

Whenever he entered a room, she exited. He would show up during one of their gatherings, and suddenly she remembered she had something important to do. Sometimes, he would come in and she'd see pain and hurt cross his features as she stood up to leave. It took her a week to realize she wasn't doing it the right way. She was making the rest of the guys feel awkward around them. They would go silent and look at both of them in concern when they ended up in the same room simultaneously.

Another week passed and she had avoided the guys all together. She hadn't seen any of them at all. She missed them. She'd busy herself with school and soccer. She'd make up excuses not to be home, just in case any of the guys decided to drop by. She found herself restoring old friendships. John had been by her side, teasing and bothering her about her antique tactics. He knew about Jacob and he scolded her and told her she was being stupid for avoiding him like that.

She remembered John's words, thinking back to these last two weeks. She admitted to herself she was being childish, immature even. But how else could she deal with this situation?

"Ms. Wood?"

Even when she was away from him, her thoughts went to him. He was at the center of her mind and regardless of how much she fought against it, it was a battle she was losing quickly.

"Ms. Wood?"

She even considered John's proposition, leaning towards the old 'make him jealous' technique. But she thought about it better and realized she would just be making a fool of herself. She sighed, trying to push the frustration building in her body away. She felt a nagging pocking coming from her left. She groaned and elbowed it aside.

She heard someone chuckle softly to her right. She didn't give it any thought. Unless of course you consider allowing her mind to wonder off towards Jacob and the way _he _chuckled softly.

The pocking to her side increased and it became annoyingly painful.

"Ms. Wood!"

A final, hard nudge to her side, stronger than before, had her almost falling of her chair.

"What?" she demanded angrily, looking toward her new friend, Janine.

Janine looked at her, nudging her head behind her. Naomi was a little confused. Her eyes grew wide as she realized who the person calling her was. She turned around slowly to face a very angry Mrs. Hansen.

"Good of you to join us Ms. Wood. I hope I wasn't interrupting any delightful fantasies of yours?"

Her face became hot and red as she looked at her teacher, the students snickering and mumbling mockingly around her. "No of course not."

"Good. Should I expect an 'A' from you on our next quiz?"

"Yes Mrs. Hansen."

The teacher left, returning promptly to her lecture. Naomi groaned and hid her face in the crook of her arm. She heard her friend laughing besides her whispering to her mischievously. "Was it Jacob again?"

"Shut up!" she hissed, but it came out more like a pitiful mumbled as she felt the embarrassment increase.

She thanked the heavens it was her last class. She lifted her head when she heard the shuffling of books and notebooks around her. She too, started to put her things away, waiting anxiously for the bell to ring.

As soon as it did, she dashed out the room, followed by a laughing Janine and John. They caught up to her when she reached her car, still laughing.

"You can avoid him all you want, run as if the devil himself was chasing you…but he will still haunt you!"

Naomi groaned and pouted angrily. Even her friends were against her.

"He's right Naomi. Stop being such a wussie and face him. What's the worst that could happen?" Janine asked, raising her eyebrow defiantly. "…another kiss?"

"Yes! Now leave me alone. I've got places to be!" She opened her car door and got in, closing her door loudly. She flinched. She didn't mean to slam it so hard. She looked out her window and saw concern and a little hurt in her friend's eyes. She smiled, trying to apologize and whispered, "I hate it when you guys are right."

They only smiled and walked away from her. She put her car into gear and drove home in silence, trying to ignore the ire feeling of being watched. She busied her thoughts with the songs coming from the radio. She didn't want to give her thoughts the chance to wonder.

She dedicated the next hour to homework and studying. She hardly ever studied. But it was a great way to distract her from her wondering thoughts; except, he still managed to sneak in there every once in a while.

Her phone vibrated loudly. She opened it to find a text from Paul.

_I'm picking you up shorty. Be ready. I don't want any excuses. You can't avoid us all b/c of Jacob. Fuck him and his leech loving gf. _

Naomi looked at his text. _Leech loving girl friend?_ She thought. _Eewww! She likes leeches? That's disgusting! And disturbing!_

She considered avoiding him, but decided against it. Her friends were right. She needed to grow a pair and face him. What kind of woman did it make her if all she ever did was run and hide from him? Not the woman she wanted to be, that's for sure.

A loud knock come from downstairs, catching her of guard. She didn't expect him so soon. She ran downstairs and opened the door. He stood there in all his glory. It was if she was seeing him for the first time. She ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

"I missed you." She whispered.

He laughed as he regained his composure and returned the hug. "Glad to know I wasn't the only one."

She laughed and pulled back. "Come on let's go!" Paul said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out.

She locked the door behind her and got into his Jeep. They drove to Emily's house as usual. She was nervous but she tried her best not to show it. But Paul being the observer he claimed he was, noticed and commented on it, stating that she shouldn't let Jacob get to her like that. She looked at him and wondered when she had become so transparent. It seemed everyone knew what was going on with her before she could even figure it out herself. She only sighed and looked out the window, preparing herself for what was to come.

They arrived at Emily's house within minutes. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans before reaching out to open the door. Her hands shook slightly before she was able to get a grip on herself. She felt ridiculous and only hoped Paul hadn't noticed.

She hopped out and closed the door, latching her hands to the one Paul was offering. They walked into the house, hands intertwined. She didn't think it was bad or that it would give out the wrong impression. But apparently the guys did. As soon as they noticed their hands locked, the room became silent. She looked at everyone nervously before smiling.

"Hey…" She felt stupid and out of place. She didn't know how to get started or even how to get rid of the increasing tension in the room.

"Hey short! Didn't know you'd come by. Ready for horror movie marathon?" Leah asked from the kitchen.

Naomi smiled; happy Leah was there, willing to bail her out of this awkward situation. "Didn't know it was horror night but I'm definitely looking toward to it. What are we going to be watching?" She asked slipping her hand out of Paul's and walking to the kitchen.

Leah shrugged. "Don't know. Embry and Quil were in charge this time."

Naomi and Leah slipped into a comfortable chat, making sandwiches and pouring some drinks for themselves.

Paul watched Naomi sit comfortably by the table, talking to Leah as if they had known each other for years. He went over to the couch and dropped himself comfortably into one, nudging Seth to get more leg room. He recognized what looked like the beginning of "Nightmare on Elm St.". He was beginning to get into the movie when Jacob's phone started ringing.

Paul looked up at him annoyed. _Didn't he know how fucken annoying that was?_

Paul was determined to ignore Jacob but the annoying, squeaky voice from the other end prevented it. Everyone knew who it is. They didn't have to ask to know it was Bella. They could hear her voice, asking him "shyly'' what he was doing.

But before Jacob could answer Bella, Paul growled at him in warning. "You invite that bitch over and I swear I'm getting Naomi out of here!"

Jacob's creased his eyebrows in anger but wasn't given enough time to respond before Quil interrupted. "You know for the first time, I have to agree with Paul."

Jacob looked at Quil angered and hurt by his betrayal. He looked over at Embry, silently asking for his support, but he got none from him either. "Sorry Jake...bringing her over isn't a good idea. Not this time."

Jacob's body started to shake as small tremors traveled through him. "I'll call you in a bit Bells," he said, huffing into the phone angrily before hanging up.

"Why are you suddenly being dicks like that? She's always been invited to these things!"

Jared rolled his eyes, never moving an inch from his spot on the couch. "But she never comes."

Paul nodded in agreement. "And I wouldn't put it past her to come to this one just because Naomi is here. Every time she's around Bella sticks to you like glue and there no way of getting rid of her!''

"No she doesn't!"

"The fuck she doesn't! Are you that fucken blind? She practically humps the fuck out of your arm!"

They were both standing by now, shaking, almost face to face as the rest of the guys surrounding them, ready to break it up if anything got started.

In the kitchen, the loud voices coming from the living room disrupted the girls conversation. They both looked at each other confused before walking around the kitchen table towards the living room.

Jacob and Paul were standing within a couple of feet of each other; their bodies shacking in anger. Naomi felt some fear rush through her body along with the adrenaline. She walked briskly towards Paul, trying to keep him from starting a fight in the middle of Emily's living room.

_Where's Sam and Emily when you need 'em?_ She thought, noticing their absence for the first time.

She tried to reach out to him but Embry stopped her. He told her it wasn't safe to get too close. But Naomi only became angry and pushed him away, demanding he let her go. Embry reluctantly released her, momentarily worried that either Jacob or Paul would lose control and phase in front of her. He watched in amazement as she grabbed Paul's hand without fear, right before he could take the final steps towards Jacob.

Paul turns around furious for having been stop. Naomi flinched at the sight of him. His anger apparent in the glare he gave her. But she ignored it and settled instead for soothing him by laying a hand on his arm.

"Calm down Paul. Breath. Think happy thoughts.'' She said, moving the same hand to stroke his back in comfort.

He looked at her, feeling her hand on his back as he tried controlling his breathing. He didn't want to lose control now. It wasn't worth the consequences.

"Like when we were in middle school and you were in my house... and MTV was on..." she said trailing off, eyeing him suggestively as he saw him trying to remember.

"All you people look at me like I'm a little girl..." She started singing. Her voice was small and timid but she was determined to distract Paul.

She saw what seemed like a gleam of recognition in Paul's eyes as he tried to fight a smile. She continued to sing, moving a little in imitation of what he tried to do that day, hoping to loosen up the tension around them

She didn't know the song any more only bits and pieces but it didn't matter. She could hear the guys laughing behind her and Paul struggling to hold in a chuckle as she continued to make a fool out of herself.

"I'm a...slaveeee for you...i won't deny it I'm not trying to hide it…um…tadatadad…daadaa…"

The guys started laughing.

"Absolutely amazing!"

"Better than the original!"

"Love the way you improvise!"

She turned around, glaring at the guys for making fun of her but they seemed unfazed by her attempt to look threatening.

"Sounds like Pauly here had loads of fun!" Quil said instead. "Can we hear the story?"

"No!" Paul said, surprising Naomi who had giving the guys her full attention. "I'm calm now shorty. No need to relive the past…right?"

She laughed and shrugged, enjoying the look of shock that came over his face. "Maybe not now but you never know; I could slip later…"

"Oooohhh!" Jared said, covering his mouth to keep himself from laughing at Paul.

Quil laughed. "I'd stay on her good side if I were you."

Paul only grumbled and moved back to the couch, his argument with Jacob forgotten.

Naomi risked a glance across the room. She noticed that Embry was calming Jacob, calmly asking him to sit down. He still looked angry, even when his anger seemed to waver when he caught her looking.

She was going to go back to the kitchen but Paul pulled her onto the sofa. She looked at him angrily but kept quit. She spent the rest of the evening enjoying the movies and her time with the guys. She didn't speak to Jacob, although she did allow herself a peek towards him every once in a while.

It didn't hurt to peak right?

But while Naomi struggled to keep her eyes to herself, her father was struggling to keep himself from having a meltdown.

It had been two weeks since his talk with Billy and Paul. It had taken him two weeks to accept that Paul and the other guys could actually turn into giant wolfs. And it was taking him even longer to accept the fact that his little girl would be turning into one as well.

But just when the idea started to sink in and his mind and heart were starting to wrap themselves around it, Billy had to come and drop another bomb on him.

But this was his last straw. It was one thing to have his daughter change into a wolf to defend the people of this town from vampires and another one all completely to have her life mapped out for her. She was too young to have her destiny foretold the way it had been already. His daughter had a right to live and explore for her own. She had a right to make her own mistakes and learn from them.

Anthony groaned, cursing himself for even thinking like that but his daughter even deserved the right to meet a good for nothing dirt bag and have her heart broken before she ever considered a permanent relationship.

Maybe he should have allowed Billy to finish telling him why his son _imprinted_ on _his _daughter. But when Billy started saying words like, soul mate and procreate, he blanked out. No more than a couple of weeks ago he had planned on sending her off to the nuns and now he was being told that he should practically start planning her wedding.

He opened the door to his house, slamming it shut once he was inside. He called out for his daughter. He needed to see her and make sure she was okay. He needed to see her as his little girl again not a woman destined to marry a werewolf.

He frowned when he didn't hear her coming. He called out for her again. When she didn't come he went to her room and saw it empty. He stared panicking before he remembered his phone had vibrated earlier.

He opened it and saw he had a missed text message from his daughter, informing him she was going to be with Paul watching some movies with the rest of the guys in Emily's house.

He knew who the "rest of the guys" were and knowing that Jacob was part of them made him feel angry all over again. It was time for him to put his foot down. He wouldn't allow his daughter to do whatever she wanted and he was certainty not allowing some hocus pocus crap to ruin his daughters life.

If he had anything to do with it, today would be the last day she ever saw Jacob Black.

* * *

**A/N: Yay! lol.**

**Hope you guys like this chapter. Next chapter will be the original one. i have to do some rearranging and editing to make it tie well with the rest of the story, but i'm hoping for a quick update!**

**I'm really trying to give Anthony(Toni) a reasonable reaction. I mean, really. What kind of father would he be if he just shrugged like whatever? Not a good one. She's his only daughter, his little girl. Taking that into consideration, i think his reactions is plausible.**

**Soooooo, have you guys heard of the songs I mention? I'm sure some of you have heard of the last two but the first one is awesome too! I really like it and i recommend it.. :D**

**I'm really considering some...how should i say this...intimacy...in this story. Maybe some teasing and toughing some time soon. But i'm not sure if i could pull if off. I've never written one of those scenes before. i feel like you guys can see me writing them or something :/ **

**But let me know if you think i could pull it off. I practiced a little in this chapter, hinting towards some sexual themes. How do you think i did? i know it wasn't much but was it any good?**

**Please, don't forget to review. Reading what you think is inspiring and inspiration really helps with quicker updates! :D**


	13. Like there's no Tomorrow

**A/N: Here's the original chapter. I've kept it in first pov since it would be too much of a hassle to change it to third. Sorry if it bothers any of you. :D**

**Thanks to Sydneybeth218 & sthrnpanther06 for taking the time to reveiw! Thanks to everyone else who alerted and favored!**

**Enjoy! :D**

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Your Guardian Wolf

Chapter 13—Like there's no Tomorrow!

Today had been one heck of a day. First, my dad got mad at me for no apparent reason this morning. I mean what the hell did I do this time? Really, I had no idea. I woke up going down stairs to prepare his lunch for work. Then he starts questioning me on my whereabouts yesterday, but he knew perfectly well that I was over at Emily's. I spent all afternoon with them watching horror movies and eating whatever was left over. But when I went home, Dad was already there. I saw a plate on the table, which showed me he ate dinner. When I looked for him he was upstairs in his room, sleeping. I didn't realize I would be in trouble. Why would I? I told him where I was!

"Dad, I was at Emily's. I told you." I said with a sigh. I knew this conversation wasn't going to end well.

"And is there a specific reason why you came home at 10:00pm? It's a school night Naomi!" He said. I could tell he was getting angry. His jaw twitched with anger as he said school night. _Psshh, parents and their exaggerations!_

"I didn't realize it was that late! But I did all my homework before I left, so I don't see what the problem is!" I said defensively, sitting down on the table and reaching for an apple.

_Jeez, really? I'__ve come home after 11:00pm before,__** on a school night **__and he's never said anything before! What's with the change of heart!_

"You don't see the problem!" he yelled, his face turning a darker shade of red. He was starting to look like Paul when he gets mad_. Honestly, what's up with men here? They all start shaking and turning into different shades of colors. Damn hulk impersonators! _

"It's dangerous for you be out that late! How many times do I have to tell you! There's a psychopath on the loose!" He continued.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." I said feeling guilty. I knew he worried about me. "Embry dropped me off. He lives close by, so it was on his way," I whispered. Maybe he would calm down a bit if he knew a big, strong, guy walked me home.

His eyes narrowed as he watched me questionably. _Maybe telling him Embry dropped me off wasn't a good idea. _

"Hhhmmm. You could have at least called." He said visibly calmer.

I smiled and walked over to give him a hug. My old man could be so sentimental sometimes. "I will dad. I'll start calling every hour if you want. As long as I can still go out," I whispered into his chest. He just chuckled and pulled away.

I went to school a bit more at ease. I wasn't in trouble anymore. I knew he would chill after I told him I'd call every hour. It's not like I would actually do it. But at least it helped ease his mind.

But my day wasn't over. The second incident that completely threw me off happened during my geometry class. If I hated math before, now my feelings towards the loathsome subject could be considered indescribable!

Mr. Hicks, our grouchy, ill-mannered geometry teacher gave me detention! He thought I was talking and passing notes during lecture. But I swear it wasn't me! The stupid girl next to me tried throwing a note across the room and failed miserably. It landed on the floor next to my desk and she looked at me expectantly. I shrugged nonchalantly, picked it up and threw it for her. That's when the teacher turned around. Damn stupidity!

The girl apologized. But what good was an apology when it didn't get me out of detention! She should have told him that _she _threw the paper. But she just smiled and walked away. The bitch!

Third, on this bad day of karma, some dweeb tried hitting on me during P.E. I wouldn't have mind, but he tried kissing me! The ass hole actually thought he could just grab me and kiss me! It pissed me off immensely. No one tried hitting on me when I was in junior high. In fact, most of the _popular kids_ made fun of me. But now I come back, after three year of absence, and they start seeing me differently. _Pigs! Just because I grew in certain areas!_

The day couldn't get any worst, it really couldn't. Not if I locked myself in my room and listened to music full blast. Right?

I was currently, singing all out to "Perfect Two" by Auburn and IM-ing some of my friends from North Carolina. I _**had**_ made some friends during my time away.

"…Cause you're the apple to my pie…You're the straw to my berry…You're the smoke to my high…And you're the one I wanna marry…"

It felt good to sing, even if I was bad at it. I kept singing until I heard knocking. I looked up but my bedroom door was opened. _Must be hearing things_, I thought. But then I heard it again, knock knock knock. And then…

"Open up!" I turned around. By my window, standing on the roof of my porch, stood Leah, banging on to the sides of the house.

I quickly bounced out of my chair and ran across the room to open the window for her. "What the hell are you doing out there, you could've fallen off!" I said as I stepped to the side to let her jump in.

"I've been slamming my fist into your front door, trying to get your attention, but your damn loud music won't let you hear!" she said walking over to my stereo and turning it off.

"Jeez, sorry! So…why were you pounding on my front door?" I asked now that she finally settled on my bed.

"Beach party! Later tonight. Wanna come?" she asked, giving me _the look_. "The guys will be there… all of them…" She let the words linger in the air, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

_Oh wow, all of them. _

"What do you mean…'all of them'… saying it the way that you just did?" _If she was implying something, she should just get it out! It's not like I have anything to hide. Not much anyways._

"Oh, nothing. A bunch of kids from school are gonna be there, and older guys too… from my generation." She said with wink.

_Older guys, hhhmm, yummy._

I didn't have to listen to them talking about kids stuff. Not that I was grown up, but I liked maturity, not old, maturity, two different things. If the guy was my age and he was mature, I'm good.

I laughed at her. "Wow Leah you're not that much older than me. Besides, I have to ask my dad. He tripped on me this morning because I came home late yesterday." I said bummed out once again.

"Leave your dad to me!" she said as she pulled out her phone and asked for my dad's number. I don't know what she did. She introduced herself as the daughter of Sue Clearwater, which must have triggered a positive reaction because next think I knew she started talking in her I'm-the-nicest-girl-your-daughter-could-have-as-a-friend tone. She soon hung up with a smile of satisfaction on her face and all I could do was look at her with shock.

"Done!" she almost squealed.

Almost.

Leah doesn't squeal. "Get your stuff. You're sleeping over!"

I squealed, jumping up and down hugging her. Yes! I do squeal and what! I also giggle. Sometimes. Rarely. I try to avoid it.

I ran all over the room, getting all kinds of stuff. I probably wouldn't need them all but a girl could never be too safe. As soon as I finished we walked out of my house towards First Beach.

It didn't take us long to get there. The sand area was covered with teenagers. All the different groups you could find in school were currently present on this beach. You could hear music blaring through the speakers of a DJ, powered by a generator, I noticed. People were dancing to "Get Low" by Lil Jon. Down and dirty kind of music, I smiled.

_Time to party!_

Leah pulled me down the rest of the way as we joined the dancing group. Their skin shined with the multi color lights from the small disco ball that looked like it belonged in a bedroom. I saw many faces, some I knew others I had never seen before. A couple guys approached us and one of them pulled Leah into the dance area. The other guy, his friend, came over to me and smiled, sweetly asking me to dance.

_Well, if you're that nice about it of course!_ I thought.

But I only smiled and took his hand. "Get low" could be a very provocative song but I danced as decently as I could. Which wasn't much to be completely honest, but I tried. I started to slowly swing my hips to the music but I never allowing his body to get close to mine. I looked up a couple of times. Leah was definitely enjoying the party. I've never seen her so relaxed. I looked around but the guys weren't here yet. So I just continued to dance with Nick. That was his name I found out, as we converse and enjoyed each other's company. He was really funny, cute _and_ he had his share of muscles. He didn't compare to Jacob but he was good enough.

_Wait! What? __Again with Jacob! I hate my mind and its wondering capabilities! I cannot like Jacob! He's all sprung on that leech loving Bella girl._

She suppressed a smile as she remembered Paul. _Ha! He cracks me up! Leech lover! Ha!_

After dancing a couple of songs with Nick we went our separate ways. Leah and I decided to get some food and burn some time while the rest of our friends got here. I wasn't necessarily hungry, so I just took some punch and took a long sip. Leah had several sandwiches. I had several cups of punch. Funny, punch has never tasted so good! I mean it was _amazing!_

"You should really try this, it's really gooooood!" I said elongating the 'o' as I took yet another _long _sip. I was allowing my feet to tap to the music as I kept an eye on Leah.

_How did she fit so much food in her little stomach! _

She looked up at me with a 'what?' expression on her face but I just rolled my eyes and looked away.

"You should really try the punch." I said as a new song came up. I felt the adrenaline rushing through me as I recognized the next song. "Shots" by LMFAO!

I turned around to grab Leah's hand but she was busy drinking some punch.

"Good huh?" I asked with a nod towards the punch.

"You're drunk! Shit!" She said surprised "Someone spiked this! Damn, Jake's gonna kill me!" she whispered.

_What the hell! Why Jake? Why is it always him? He has no say over me!_

"I am sooo not drunk!" I said taking a step towards her, but my world spun a little causing me to miss a step. _Shit! I should have known it had liquor, _I thought.

"I'm not fucked up!" I said loudly "I'm just a little buzzed, that's all." I finished in a whisper.

I walked towards Leah as best I could. It was easy, like I said 'I WASN'T drunk'. I grabbed her hand and pulled her to the sand floor to dance. Leah and I did get down and dirty with this song. It was different dancing like this with a friend rather than a guy who all he probably wanted to do was fill up on you. A small group started forming around us and more girls joined our 'dirty' group. We danced and jumped and partied like there was no tomorrow. But it was just one song. Maybe it was the alcohol affecting my brain or whatever, but I felt free and I let my body take over. I felt good, relieved, energy radiating through my body as I continued to jump and sing to the song.

"…_Shots…Patron on the rocks and I'm ready for some shots! The women come around every time I'm pourin' shots! Their panties hit the ground every time I give 'em shots! So cups in the air, everybody lets take shots!..."_

The song ended, and Leah pulled me away. She said something about the alcohol burning away my last neurons. I followed with a grunt. Maybe she was right. I've never been this liberal. I kind of liked it.

She pulled me away from the group and took me to sit on some logs around a bonfire.

"No more punch for you!" Leah said as she took a seat next to me. I just smiled and looked away.

"I'm not drunk. But I do feel a bit more….relaxed?" I said in question. I wasn't sure if that was how I should describe it, but it felt right. I could still put together more than a few coherent sentences if necessary. But then why would I?

"Try not to feel so… relaxed… the guys are here," she said. I looked up and they were coming out of the woods. What's up with them half naked, always walking out of the woods? Didn't they know we have roads? Instead of carrying their shirts in their hands they should think about putting them on. Jeez! Half the girls on the beach were drooling now!

I heard a loud roar and I looked to my left. I saw a red-ish old junk truck pulling up. _Who the hell is that? _I thought.

"That's Bella." Leah said as she followed my gaze, quickly standing up to meet the guys.

"Oh," was all I was able to muster out. "That's her car?"

I looked away not caring to see what the fuss was about over this girl. The guys were getting closer but I saw Jacob leave the group to go meet her. She gave him a big tight hug, pulling him close to her body.

_What a slut! She has her rich boyf__riend and here she comes steeling the hotties out of our hands!_

After a few days in school, John had promptly informed me of all the different clicks in our school. He had motioned to a table by the corner where the Cullen's were. "The rich kids. The one's that think they're too good for us." He said annoyed. I just rolled my eyes and wondered what that Cullen guy ever saw in Bella. He was too cute for her. But I guessed he liked feeling superior. He definitely looked the part, compared to her.

"Hey why so bummed" asked Embry as he sat next to me, throwing his arm over my shoulder. I looked up at him.

_Why__ couldn't I fall for this guy? He's gorgeous. Big muscular body! Deep brown eyes! Body melting smile! And he understands me! But nooooooo! I had to start liking the idiot brooding over Bella half the time._

"I'm not bummed," I said trying to sound cheery. _Look! His lips are so inviting! They look soft and tasty. His smile! It's amazing! C'mon heart, start beating faster!_

"Why are you staring?' He asked hesitantly. _UUUhhmmm, Embry I'm staring because I want to make myself fall in love with you! Now stay still! I'm almost in love!_

"Because you're hot" _Did I just say that out loud?_ I looked around without moving my head. _Yep. I did._

Quil and Paul were watching me, amazed smiles on their faces. Jacob and that chick were just arriving but I guess they heard too. _Oh well, it's not like I'm lying._

"What?" he asked, unsure if he heard right.

"Embry, I think you're hot," I said. I saw Leah put hear head in her hands. _She probably still thinks I'm drunk, _I thought.

The guys snickered and other's laughed. Some said encouraging words to Embry like "damn man!" or "Atta boy!" _Stupid guys._

But Jacob just stood there, Bella close to him, no readable expression on his face. _Like I cared what he thought!_

"Well, I think you're hot too." He said with a smile on his face "In fact, you're gorgeous, and…" he hesitated, smile still firmly in place. I could hear the guys cheering. "Do it!" and "Yeah!" I saw him leaning in. I_s he going to kiss me? Oh my God I think he is! But Embry's like a best friend to me!_

_Dumb heart! Like him more than__ a friend! Do it! I command you!_

I watched him lean closer. I could practically feel his breath on my face. _Maybe, if I let him kiss me, my heart would thump for him and not Jacob_._ Maybe. _

I wasn't sure if I wanted to. If it didn't work, it could ruin our friendship. He was closer. I could feel his hot breath on my lips. I backed up a little. He leaned in more. _Should I kiss him?_

He was suddenly pulled back, away from me. Jacob had Embry's arm on a tight grip "What the hell are you doing Embry?" he growled. Leah came over and pulled me away.

"I told you to at least pretend!" she whispered harshly. _What the hell! I'm fine!_

"Leah! I'm not drunk! Shit! I can still walk!" I screamed. All eyes were on me. I heard Leah's curses as she turned around to face the guys.

"She had a lot of punch…" she said looking up "…and the punch had a shit load of alcohol!" she continued. Most of the guys exploded into laughter others shrugged like nothing had happened. Jacob however looked like he was out for revenge.

_Why are they acting like this__! I'm not a fucken little girl. Damn! I haven't even been acting stupid for them to think I'm way drunk!_ _I'll show them stupid! _I thought angrily_._ I took a deep breath. No. I won't be stupid, it wasn't me.

"What the hell Leah! You're supposed to be taking care of her! She doesn't even know what she's saying!" Jacob yelled.

I could tell he was angry but he had no right! Why did he care if I was drunk or not. He should worry about his precious Bella. She looked like she wanted to cry or something. I didn't need him trying to take care of me!

"I know what I'm doing and I know what I'm saying," I said calmly. "And I _**do**_think Embry is hot…" I continued. Embry smiled and came over to hug me.

"And I think you're gorgeous… but you're also a very good friend to me and I don't want to ruin that," he whispered. I leaned my head against his chest, his heart pounding loudly close to my ear. I was used to their abnormal body heat.

"I know. I love you… as my friend, and I wouldn't want to jeopardize that either," I whispered. It felt good to hug him. Now I knew why my heart refused to beat faster when he was near. He was like a brother to me.

"Nothing would." He whispered into my hair, his chin resting on top of my head. I pushed him away slowly, smiling up at him.

"You think I'm drunk huh?" I asked skeptically. There had to be a reason why he was so mushy at the moment.

""NO!" he said a little too quickly, but then he laughed "…you're just tipsy," he finished as he pulled me towards the rest of the guys. At least he was honest.

We talked a little, about nothing and everything at the same time. Jacob was across from me and Embry, with Bella firmly attached to his side. She was like a bee, flying around honey, sticking to it like glue. Not that Jacob was honey.

Leah's guy friend came over and pulled her away to dance. I watched as she smiled and took his hand. Sam looked like he was getting ready to break something. Men could be such hypocrites!

Leah told me about her drama with Sam yesterday. Everything seemed to be going fine during the movie, except that I would notice Leah becoming tense or uneasy anytime Sam got close or he caressed Emily. I asked her about it when she got up to get some water. She pulled me outside and we talked. I still couldn't believe her own cousin would do that to her. It was bad enough he left her out of the blue but her cousin too! What enraged me the most was his audacity! He still lingered around her, as if nothing had ever happened! It was as if he still wanted to be part of her life! Selfish pig!

I was so caught up with my internal ranting that I didn't hear anyone approaching us until he sat next to me.

"Hey." It was Nick. He looked cuter up close like this, his light brown hair moving with the wind. "Are you having fun?" he asked with a smile on.

"Yes!" I said excitedly.

I could feel Embry become tense to my left. I'm sure he was listening to our conversation. I looked over to see him but he was looking in front of him, definitely tense. He was watching Jacob. It was like they were having some facial conversation because Embry would shake his head no and Jacob would shake it yes. I thought girls were the only one that could read each other's body language.

"Stay away from the punch. It isn't just punch!" Nick said with a chuckle.

I laughed "Too late for that. I already had several cups!" His smile widen as he realized what I said. "But I'm not drunk. So don't you start too!" I warned. But he only laughed, causing Embry to turn around and look at us.

"Naomi, aren't you going to introduce us?" he asked in a tone too serious to be considered friendly. _Oh boy, here comes mister macho!_

"Um, yeah! Embry this is Nick. Nick this is Embry, one of my closest friends," I said. Embry extended his hands and Nick took it in his. I could tell they had a strong grip on each other but Nick didn't back down.

_Point__s for him! He's not scared of my big, bad, super strong friend._ They let go of each other's hand, slightly aggressively, and looked away.

"So, you want to dance or something?" Nick asked. _Or something? Hahah, he was feeling the awkwardness too!_

"Or something" I said allowing him to take my hands in his. He pulled me up. _Wait! He could interpret my answer as something else!_ "Dancing sounds great!" I said just to make sure he wasn't thinking about anything we shouldn't be doing.

We walked over and we danced to a couple of songs, nothing unusual there, until I saw Jacob pretty much dragging _that_ girl to the dance area.

"I don't dance Jacob!" Bella said loudly. But he turned around to look at her and said something softly. She just smiled and walked silently next to him. He probably gave her his puppy eyes, a couple of sweet words and she caved. _What a wuss! _

T-Pain started singing in the background with "let me buy you a drink." Nick and I danced. He held my hands in his, pulling me closer but still keeping a respectable amount of distance between us. Jacob was close to us too, dancing awkwardly with Bella, who looked like she had three left feet.

_I know three__, but she was dancing that bad! _

Nick pulled me closer, wrapping his hands around me. I smiled up at him. _I think I could get used to him_, I thought.

"I'm thirsty. You want something to drink?" he asked, his hands still wrapped around me.

"No. I'm okay, thanks," I said. He was getting ready to leave for his drink when a friend of his walked by with a cup. He asked him it if was his and then took it without warning, coming back to me quickly. He took a couple of sips and smiled.

"Punch!" he said laughing. I just rolled my eyes and looked away in amusement.

We kept dancing, but for some reason my eyes kept darting towards Jacob.

"Alright ladies and gents! Time to slow our role! This goes out to all the couples! Grab your lady and slow dance like there's no tomorrow!" said Mr. DJ. _They had a mic? Wow! Someone went all out for a beach party!_

"Fall for you" by Secondhand Serenade starting blaring through the speakers. If you looked around, some people were leaving, others were getting closer to each other while yet more couples walked into the dancing sand area.

I wasn't sure of what to do. Nick and I weren't a couple. We weren't even friends, more like acquaintances. I took his hand and started to walk away when I noticed Jacob had pulled Bella into an embrace, moving slowly to the song.

_Seriously? Isn't she like taken or something!_ I felt my anger rising. I was mad because she had no right to be cheating on her rich boyfriend like that! I wasn't angry because of anything else. It's not like I was jealously or anything.

_What a skanky bitch! Did you see that! She just leaned closer to him_! UURRG.

I stopped, turned around and looked at Nick. He was smiling. "Come on, just this one song?" He asked. He didn't need to ask. I place my hands on his chest and he pulled me close to him, his hands on my waist. He took a sip of his punch and I looked at it.

"You want some?" he asked. _I shouldn't. But I am thirst. Maybe a little, just a sip. I swear, it's not like I drink every day! As long as none of the guys see me._

I looked around. Everyone was minding their own business. I grabbed his cup and took a sip. Yes, it definitely had alcohol! Why didn't I notice the taste before?

I was getting ready to hand it back over when someone's hands grabbed it out of mine and threw it to the floor. _What the hell!_ I thought. I looked up to see Jacob fuming next to us.

"Are you purposely trying to get her fucken drunk?" he yelled through his gritted teeth. He was getting ready to grab Nick but I got in his way.

"Jacob, calm down! I asked him for some! And he couldn't get me drunk even if he was trying too. I'm not stupid!" I said trying to keep calm. He looked out of control and I didn't want to add to his burning rage. I took his hand and pulled him away towards the bonfire our group had going.

"I want you to stay away from him Naomi," he said trailing behind me. I stopped and turned around.

"You can't tell me what to do! Especially you!" I whispered angrily. He looked at me like he didn't know what I was talking about.

"Don't look at me like that! She has a boyfriend and you're over here dancing with her like she's _your_ fucking girlfriend! Both of you are disgusting!" I continued "…poor guy disserves better than her!" I said.

_He definitely deserves better. __Good looks, smart, a little shy and conservative but I could fix that_, I thought. _Anyone could be better for that guy._

He just grunted. "He's not the good guy if that's what you're thinking!" he said. I just looked at him, perplexed.

I felt disappointed, angry and jealous. Yes! I was jealous! And yes! I like Jacob Black! I like him, a lot! But there is no way in hell he'll ever find out!

His deep brown eyes looked hurt. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't have enough time. Leah came over and pulled us towards the bonfire

"C'mon guys were gonna play spin the bottle!" she said.

I saw the guys getting more people to join the group. We didn't make a circle around the fire. Actually, the fire's made a circle around us. There were four separate fires lit around us creating big slightly protective circle. Sam, Emily, Quil, Jared, Embry, Leah and her guy friend, some random girls the guys picked up and Jacob were there. Bella joined afterwards walking towards Jacob and taking a seat next to him. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder. I just looked away. I noticed Nick and I signaled for him to come over. He quickly joined me and I informed him of the game.

"Here are the rules…" Quil said loudly catching everyone's attention "…instead of kissing the person the bottle points to, there will be a dare! That simple! " he said.

"If the bottle top points to you, you get dared by the person the bottom half is pointing to!" continued Paul "You cannot refuse to complete any of the dares, if you do, a piece of clothing has to come off. Got it?" he asked looking around at everyone.

We just nodded and waited for them to continue.

"If you can't handle it, or don't think you're up for the challenge, you can leave now." Quil added. I looked around, but no one left. This was going to be interesting.

"Let's get started!" Paul said. He got up and spun the bottle. We all watched as the bottle did four complete circles before coming to a stop. It looked like Sam had to dare Quil. There were some oooo's and some aaahh's going around.

"Give me your best shot!" Quil said getting up from where he was sitting. He started jumping up and down on his spot, shaking his arms like a professional boxer getting ready for a big fight.

Sam looked like he was thinking hard.

"I don't know, hop around on one leg screaming like a gorilla" he said. We heard a couple of "lame's" going around but everyone laughed as Quil danced around our circle looking like a retarded gorilla. He then walked to the middle of the circle and spun the bottle.

It was Bella's turn to dare Nick. I looked over at Nick but he was just smiling. Bella looked at Jacob and then she looked at me. "You …uuu… you…have to kiss Naomi." She said with what I assumed was her version of shy.

"Okay!" I heard Nick say joyfully before he pulled me and gave me a quick peck on the lips. Some of the girls started giggling, the guys said a couple of No No's to Bella. I could feel my face heating up. I looked away but I caught Jacob's intense gaze. He was anything but happy. It's not like was trying to please him anyways.

Nick then walked over to the bottle and gave it a good spin, it did two 360 before coming to a stop. I looked at it in horror. The top part was pointing at me. I was going to be dared!

_O__h my God I'm going to be dared by Quil!_

I looked up at him and he had a wide evil smile plastered firmly on his face. He looked around the circle, looking for his second victim. His gaze landed on Jacob and my heart almost stopped. _No! Quil, you can't do this to me!_ I thought. I saw his gaze continue on and it finally stopped on Embry. He looked at him and then at me, and once again returned his gaze to Embry. His evil, devilish smile never left his face.

"Lap dance!" I heard and I could feel my world spinning. "You have to give Jacob a lap dance!"

_What! I though__t he decided to make Embry his victim! Why Jacob? NO!_

"No!" I refused quickly. "His girlfriend might not like it!" I continued a bit more relaxed, looking at Bella_. _I couldn't help but look at Jacob, he looked slightly uncomfortable. _I can't do this! Not with him. Not with anyone! I don't know how to lap dance! It's not like I practice the hobby at home or something!_

"Quil! I can't!" I said pleadingly.

"Fine! Dance on Embry! You can't say no either or clothing comes off of all three of you!" he said watching me. I grunted. I looked at Sam, hoping he would tell him something, but he just shrugged. I stood up abruptly, took Sam's full cup of punch and drank it all at once. He just stared at me wide eyed.

"I'll need that more than you." I said as I walked over to Embry "I can't do this Quil. There's no music," I said. But he just shook his head, "tsk-ed'' and pulled out his phone waving his hand over to the DJ in the distance. I soon heard "Dangerous" by Ying Yang twins come on. I grunted loudly. _Stupid kids and their stupid grins! UURGG! Stupid Quil!_

I looked at Embry. He had his 'its-gonna-be-good' grin on. I smiled feeling a bit more relaxed.

Note to self: In extremely obligatory, embarrassing situations as the one I found myself in, drink "punch" none stop, it helps block out the people. (Kids, don't do this at home.)

I started feeling the music and the beat. I picked my hands up in the air and allowed my hips to sway back and forth, lowering my body slowly closer to the floor. I moved my body, taking few steps closer to Embry as I dance around him. The distance between Embry and me had disappeared. I dance around him, always moving my hips and hands as provocatively as I could. I never touched him. I already felt sluty as it is. The most I did was lean into him, allowing my hands to caress his chest and arms as I continued to dance and move my hips to the song. I lowered my body to the floor a couple of times but I never touched my body to his. I moved around him, to his back and placed my hands on his shoulder, leaning into him provocatively. I looked up and noticed some jaws dropping open in amazement and girls giggling loudly. But I ignored everyone except Jacob. He was watching me. He looked like he wanted to memorize the scene. I didn't think he even blinked. For some reason I felt jittery and it encourage me to be a little more…sensual. I leaned into Embry's back tracing a trail with my fingers down his chest, seductively moving my hand under his shirt, feeling his rock solid abs. I heard some 'OMG's' from the girls as they admired his abdomen but I just continued caressing his stomach. I leaned closer to his face to whisper into his ear. Others would have thought I said something "naughty", but I didn't.

"I hate you," I said slowly with a smile, my lips almost touching his ears. He leaned back into me and looked up; he picked his hand up to pull me closer by the neck. He whispered into my ear. I know what this looks like. To everyone else watching, this was intimate, sensual, maybe even a sexual moment!

"You know you love me!" he said into my ear, his voice low and his breath hot. _Stupid heart! I should love Embry. Beat faster damn it!_

"Stop it Jacob!" I heard Sam yell angrily. I looked up to see Jake's body trembling. He stood up abruptly and left his seat, Bella hot on his heels. "Sit down Naomi!" Sam ordered looking at me. _Yeah, NOW he tries to stop this!_

I sat down obediently next to Embry. But then Paul told me I needed to spin the bottle. I walked over and turned it. It stopped when it was pointing at Leah.

_Oh oh. Leah_.

"Jared! You better not make me do anything stupid!" she said. Jared smiled widely but Leah gave him a scary look that made him instantly stop grinning.

"Kiss…" he said but he was interrupted by Leah "No kissing!" she shouted at him. I watched as Leah never let her gaze waver from Jared's. He was becoming noticeably uncomfortable. I smiled and looked at Embry. He had his arm over my shoulder, laughter coming from him as he watched Jared's fear of Leah.

"You have to do… the chicken dance!" he said. Leah glared at him but she stood up to dance in the middle of the group. She placed her hands in her arm pits and tried imitating a chicken but everyone laughed because she sounded more like a dying duck. She stopped and went to sit on the log, but not before spinning the bottle. A couple of the guys decided to rotate. They wanted to sit in different places to make the game more random. I noticed Jake and Bella were back, sitting once again together. The bottle was still spinning as we all watched it. It slowly started slowing down, stopping to point at Jacob.

Do you want to know who would dare him? Do you? C'mon take a wild guess. No, not Quil.

Yes! Him! Paul!

We heard Paul laughing loudly. He was probably thinking up his dare. I felt a shiver go through my body as I imagined all the possibilities. The things Paul could make Jacob do right now. It's like, payback for all those fights.

I looked at Jacob expecting to see him furious as hell, already backing out of the dare before Paul even mentioned it. But he was calm, watching Paul's every movement.

"Striptease!" Paul said, his smile growing bigger. "…to mc hammer… right in the middle… in front of Quil." He said laughing. "It's his personal show!"

"Fuck no!"

"What the fuck Paul! That's not cool man! Not cool!" Quil said angrily getting up from his spot.

But everyone in the group was just laughing, including me.

"I'd rather take something off." Jacob answered calmly.

"Pussy!" Paul said smirking. He had a satisfied grin on his face.

"Don't tell me you're disappointed Pauly!" Jacob said teasing Paul as I assumed was an attempt to piss him off. But it didn't work, surprisingly.

"Nope!" Paul answered simply, averting his eyes towards Leah. They exchanged a meaningful look as both tried to suppress their laughter. I would have thought that they silently communicated but then thought better of it. They could hardly ever hold a decent conversation for more than a few minutes, why would they be able to silently communicate now?

But the idea wouldn't stop bugging me. That is until I noticed Quil removing his shirt. "Good thing I wore boxers today." He said as he took off his shirt; leaving him with only his shorts and as he so kindly informed us, his boxers.

I realized then that he wouldn't be the only one removing a garment. My eyes involuntarily traveled across the circle, landing and fixing themselves permanently on a half-naked Jacob.

Even though I've seen him like this before. He never failed to affect me.

"My turn to spin the bottle." He said walking towards the middle.

The bottle spun until the sand started so slow down its momentum to a complete stop. The top portion was pointing to Sam.

"Oh! Damn!" Jared said.

"You better get him good Jake!" Quil yelled from across. Sam gave him a glare but Quil went unaffected.

"I want you to chuck what's left of that bottle…in one swing."

Sam looked at him confused. "What bottle?"

"The one Jared's been hiding." Jacob said turning around to face a grinning Jared. He pulled out the bottle from behind him. It was Jose Cuervo in all its glory, one third of it barely gone.

"Oohhh!" Paul booed.

"That's a good one! Time to see our saintly alpha drunk!" Quil said, grabbing the bottle from Jared and handing it over to Sam.

Sam looked at the bottle with skepticism, and eyebrow arched in what seemed like defiance. "What if I don't?"

"You take your clothes off." Jared said.

"What if I don't do that either?"

"Then we'll all hold you down and make you swallow…bottle included." Leah said looking at him threateningly.

Sam looked at her and shrugged, opening the bottle as he tried to down the entire thing in one gulp. He scrunched up his face at first but then he seemed to be drinking it as if it was water. At least what did end up in his mouth. There was a lot of it that was pouring out onto his face and down his chest.

"There." He said to Jacob. "Is that the best you got?"

But Jacob only smiled and said, "Just wait for it.''

Jacob went back to sit down next to Bella. "Your turn to spin the bottle." He said looking at Sam.

Sam smirked and tried getting up. The moment he did, he swayed in his spot and almost fell. Everyone started laughing when he took another step but it completely gave under his weight as he stumbled face flat to the sand.

Leah was having the most fun out of all of them. She had tears running down her cheeks as she clutched her stomach in pain. Sam tried getting up again, shaking his head trying to get rid of the haziness. But all that did was send him right back to the floor.

Another wave of laughter went around the circle as some of the guys stepped out of the circle, complaining they were gonna pee on their pants if Sam kept falling like that. They never went that far though, wanting to see Sam making a fool out of himself.

"I'm gonna kill you Black!" Sam said, pulling himself up from the floor, walking towards the bottle like an infant taking his first steps.

"If you remember!" Jacob laughed.

Sam reached the bottle, leaned over carefully, swaying slightly with the effort. He spun the bottle, his gaze locked on it. He groaned in pain and fell forward, on top of the bottle.

"Oh shit!" Leah said laughing. "Where the fuck is the camera when you need it!"

I looked at her and I felt happy for her. I hadn't seen her laughing so much.

_Maybe we should get __Sam drunk more often,_ I thought.

I looked at Sam and wasn't able to keep my own laughter to a minimum. He was trying to push himself up, but every time he did, his body would move like a small boat trying to navigate the seas during a hurricane.

My sides were hurting by the time he did manage to get up. He looked at the bottle and directed his gaze back to Jacob.

I looked at the bottle and realized why Sam looked satisfied. The bottle was once again pointing at Jacob and he was going to be dared none other than by Leah.

Sam walked almost in a straight line back to his seat. I realized then that maybe Sam wasn't so drunk after all.

Oh but Leah only laughed sadistically.

"A Kiss…" she said watching him intently, "…a deep, passionate as hell kiss." She continued. "Remember, you can't back out" _Oh, crap she's probably going to make him kiss a guy! _

"Who?" was all Jacob asked. He just kept his serious poker face on. He wasn't allowing any emotion to show through. I looked over at Leah and his smile widened even more in defiance, daring her to do her worst.

"You're gonna owe me big for this one." she whispered as she directed her gaze towards me. Me_? What? Why?_

Leah was watching everyone, but mostly her eyes lingered on Bella the most.

_Big surprise_, I thought. I didn't want to see this. It would be a big blow for me. Watching the guy that made my heart beat faster, kissing the one girl he shouldn't.

"Who?" Jacob asked a bit more anxiously this time.

"Naomi" I heard. _I knew it! He was going to kiss Bella and stick his tong…. Wait, what? Did I just hear… my name!_

"What!" I almost yelled. Leah looked at me with a huge grin.

"Jacob has to kiss Naomi." she said "A deep, strong, passionate kiss" she added evilly. She knew this would be very uncomfortable for both of us.

"No." _I can't kiss him. I can't. If I do…I might not want to stop. _

"You don't have an option Naomi. Quil already let you bail from the last one." She said evenly.

"But he didn't!" I said "I still danced"

"Yah but not on whom he said originally. You either kiss, or clothes come off, and seeing that you don't have socks on…well you know!"

Crap! I would have to remove my shirt or shorts. I didn't have socks on. No hair accessories that I could pass of as clothing. I had nothing! I let my face drop into my hands.

_Life sucks! __Leah sucks!_

"She doesn't have to, I'll take it off for both of us," Jacob said.

I looked up at him. There was sadness in his eyes, in his voice. I felt like he actually wanted the kiss. The way he was watching me sent shivers down my back straight to the middle of my stomach. Everything around me seemed to slow down, blend into the background. Why was he looking at me like that? Almost lustfully!

I heard some girls giggling and guys complaining about not wanting to see Jake naked. I frowned in confusion, but then realized that he was only wearing two clothing articles. His cut offs and whatever he wore underneath!

"I'll…I'll do it," I said getting up, feeling a sudden rush of adrenaline pump through my body along with what I only assumed was a shit load of nervousness. The last thing I needed was a naked Jake sitting across from me.

A lot of murmuring was going around the circle as I walked towards Jake. He was getting up but Bella was clinging to him, shaking her head 'no'. I stopped walking. I didn't want to feel embarrassed if he decided to listen to her. That would be humiliating! But he pulled his hand away from her and walked away, towards me.

He met me half way. I looked around and everyone was watching us. Their eyes were glued, watching our every movement. I looked away from them, watching them watch us wasn't doing anything for my nerves. I looked up at Jake, noticing for the first time how tall he really was; how mesmerizing his eyes were when his hair fell across his forehead, completely messy.

He took a step closer to me, placing his left hand on my waist. I could feel my heart rate increase. I took a deep breath and stepped closer, allowing my hands to rest on his bare chest. I could feel the heat of his body soaking through my hands, his loud heartbeat pounding against my palms. My stomach was overacting as it allowed the butterflies to fly freely.

He pulled me closer, our bodies were almost touching. The heat his body was radiating sent chills down my body as it clashed with the cold air blowing around us. He was lowering his head, closer to mine. I could hear his breathing. I felt his right hand, softly tangle itself in my hair. He was pulling me closer, but I was afraid to look up, to meet his lips half way. I knew the moment our lips touched my heart would let go of the little rationality it had left and completely fall in love. I knew he could and most likely _would_ break my heart.

I was doing so well at protecting it. But he just had to come and crawl his way in without me noticing. I can't remember when it happened. All I knew was that at that moment, there was nothing I wanted more than that kiss, the feel of his warm lips against mine, his hands embracing me like he loved me and only me!

I pulled courage from God knows where and I looked up. His eyes were bright, watching me like he was seeing me for the first time. His gaze was tender and loving. I leaned and met him half way. I felt his warm lips on mine and the butterflies started flying like someone has rudely disturbed their nap. He leaned into me, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. First he started just nibbling my lower lip, moving his hand to my back, pulling my head closer with the other. He nibbled and teased and kissed me tenderly. I could feel my body responding to him. I wanted to return the kiss! I needed him to feel what I was feeling too!

My hands started caressing his chest, slowly moving up to his neck. I wrapped my hands around him, lowering his head to mine. And I kissed him. I kissed him for all the times he made me mad. I kissed him for all the times I was jealous and I kissed him because I've wanted to do this the right way for so long!

Our bodies closed the very small distance separating us. It was like our bodies had a mind of their own. His hand was pulling on my hair as I bit his lower lip. I heard him moan into my mouth and I felt myself falling for him. I couldn't help it. This would probably be the last time I would enjoy his lips. I had to make it worth it.

I felt him responding to my touch, to my lips, his hands pulling on my shirt, grabbing my hair. Our kiss was getting rough, passionate. My body felt like it was on fire, slowly burning its way to my heart.

I heard some coughs and ahem's before I realized our kiss had been going on for too long. I pushed away from him, blushing furiously. I walked away without looking up at him. If I did, I would probably kiss him again. I needed to get out of here before I did something stupid.

Like jump him in front of everyone!

* * *

**Teeeheee! :D Now i'm wondering what you're thinking! I hope you liked it, i really do! This is the longest chapter and i think it will stay the longest lol.**

**I did make some changes to the chapter and i hoped it was for the best.**

**Keep en eye out for the next chapter...jacob and Naomi might take it a bit too far this time lol *wink* :D**


	14. A Little too far!

**A/N: I apologize for taking forever with this update but I had some trouble finish it up. IDK why though. :/ Anyways here's the update. A huge thank you for those who reviewed the last chapter, (Zerlina2111 ,sthrnpanther06 , LadyBlondeMary , **

**sandradee27) and everyone else who silently read and favored/alerted! :D thanks!**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

Chapter 13- A Little too Far!

Feeling the heat rushing through her body as desire threaten to overwhelm her, Naomi walked briskly back to her spot. She was extremely tempted to just walk away. But she knew everyone would be jumping to conclusions and guessing correctly as to how much the kiss had really affected her. And she really didn't want anyone to know that!

She sat down next to Embry once again, feeling the full force of Bella's glare and everyone else's gaze. She could feel the blood rushing to her face. She knew she would have to look up eventually but she wasn't sure if she'd be ready to see their expressions.

What were they thinking? Did they notice that shiver that went down her spine as soon as Jacob's body touched hers? Could they hear her loudly pounding heart? She was almost one hundred percent sure they could. She could hear it pounding loudly against her chest. Was it normal to hear your own heart pounding? She highly doubted it.

The game continued on and through it all Naomi kept quiet. She definitely had many things to think about. She was concerned and even a little scared. She had never encountered anyone who made her feel the way Jacob did. She never thought she'd lose control over her body the way she just had. This attraction for Jacob was strong. She realized that now. She was too late in trying to end things before they ever started. Hadn't they already started on the day he first kissed her? Didn't her thoughts start revolving around him somewhere around the same time? She had lost this battle a long time ago and she hadn't realized it.

She sighed deeply, feeling the despair as it consumed her. _What am I going to do now?_ She thought.

It was evident to her now. She had deep and growing feelings for Jacob. The question was; what were his feelings for her?

Did he feel something for her? Anything at all that could eventually lead to a romantic relationship? Or was he so head over heels for Bella that Naomi never had a chance?

_I mean, there has to be a reason why he still sticks to her, even if she was already taken._ She thought as she continued to seek an answer to her growing questions.

Sam was the first to leave the group, claiming he was tired and had better things to do. He winked at Emily before grabbing her arm and pulling her away.

Naomi saw Leah look away, pain and hurt crossing her face for a brief second before disappearing completely. She looked at her companion and said something too low for Naomi to hear. He smiled and took her hand in his, pulling her with ease up to her feet. They both walked back to the dance floor.

Naomi was happy that Leah didn't let her pain show for long and that she allowed herself to have fun. There was no need for her to dwell in the past even if she wasn't yet over it.

Feeling the need to leave as well she looked around for Nick. She caught him walking towards her. He smiled before asking her to dance. She gladly accepted, enjoying the opportunity she was getting to get away from Jacob and his prying eyes.

The rest of the night went by uneventful with an occasional death glare from Bella.

Naomi noticed Leah was having a lot of fun as Nick and her danced close by. She thought she overheard Leah's dance companion ask her if she wanted to go somewhere more private later. Leah said she'd love to but wouldn't be able to.

"I can't. My friend is sleeping over tonight." Leah explained.

He looked disappointed. "Could you sneak out later then? What time do you think she'll fall asleep?" He asked a hint of hope in his voice.

Naomi tried not to laugh. It was evident that the boy was horny and the only thing he wanted was to get laid. But she didn't feel any concern over her friend's safety. Leah could take care of herself perfectly well without her help. She also knew that Leah could see his intentions. They were crystal clear.

She continued to dance with Nick but her proximity with Leah and her partner was inevitable. Almost everyone was dancing and it was starting to get too crowded. It did however facilitate, without her intent, her ability to hear their conversation.

"Not sure. What's your rush?" Leah asked dancing closer to him, teasingly.

Naomi heard as his breathing hitched. "I just want to be close to you," he said huskily.

_What a load of bull! _Naomi thought hoping her friend wasn't falling for his shit.

"We're close. How much closer do you want to get?" Leah asked, dropping the level of her voice a notch or two, making her sound like a seductress.

Naomi looked at Nick with amusement, noticing he was paying attention too.

"A lot closer." His voice was thick and rough.

Nick rolled his eyes, grabbing Naomi's hands and pulling her closer. "There are a lot of ways to get close without having to go somewhere private," he whispered.

Naomi felt a little uncomfortable but welcomed the distraction none the less. She didn't want to hear any more throaty phrases coming from either of them. She slowly pulled back anyways, not feeling entirely comfortable with the proximity.

Nick felt her pulling away and saw how uncomfortable she looked. He remembered then the kiss she had shared with Jacob. He liked Naomi enough. He'd even go as far and say he could actually see himself dating her. But he had a problem. It was obvious to him that Naomi harbored some feelings for that guy and Nick didn't like complications. He still had to decide if she was worth the time and effort. But one thing was for sure, he was up for the challenge.

"Is there someone already in your heart?" Nick asked, fondling with her hands.

Naomi was surprised by his sudden question. She pulled her hands away and laughed awkwardly. "Ha! Why would you think that? Of course not..." She looked away from him, trying to hide the nervousness. "…who would...you're funny! There's no one…"she finished, her voice quivering slightly as she remembered what she did earlier that night.

He laughed. "You're so transparent. There's no need to get nervous. I was just wondering."

She felt like bolting through the crowd and running straight home. It was so uncomfortable being in front of him, lying and saying she didn't have anyone in her heart. It was even more embarrassing that he knew she was lying.

To her luck, Leah decided to interrupt. "It's getting kind of late. You want to head out?"

"Yeah." Naomi said with urgency in her voice. She quickly said her goodbyes and reluctantly exchanged phone numbers with Nick. Reluctant only for the fact that she felt guilty exchanging phone numbers when she had kissed Jacob passionately no more than thirty minutes ago.

She walked a few feet behind Leah and her guy friend, whom of which she still didn't know the name of. He was giving them a ride and she assumed buying himself some more time to convince Leah to sneak out later. But by the looks of it, he didn't need to do much convincing. It seemed Leah wanted to hang out with him later too.

Naomi felt a little awkward leaving with the two. She felt like the third wheel. She knew that Leah wouldn't leave with him, not when she was supposed to sleep over. And that made her feel guilty. She knew perfectly well how much Leah needed this. She knew Leah needed to see other people. She needed to date and meet other guys. It would help her start forgetting Sam.

They got in his car. Leah was in the passenger seat and Naomi sat on the seat behind Leah. They drove in silence, a couple of questions here and there to break the uncomfortable muteness. When they arrived at Leah's house, Naomi leaned forward and stopped Leah from getting off.

"You can go with him if you want. I'll walk home." Naomi suggested.

Leah snorted dramatically. "Please! And miss out on the conversation you know is coming? Fat chance!" She whispered, twisting slowly in her seat to face Naomi. "Besides, I told him to pick me up in an hour or so."

Naomi smiled and leaned back. "Should've known!"

Both the girls got off the car. Leah exchanged a few detailing words about their meeting with the guy and then left. They watched the car speed off towards the beach.

_Probably picking up Nick, _Naomi thought.

"Soo…" Naomi started. "What exactly are you planning on doing later?"

Leah laughed. "Something similar to what you were doing earlier with Jacob, except I'll refrain from moaning!" She said turning around and going into her house, leaving behind a blushing Naomi.

She quickly recuperated and stomped off after her. "I did not!"

"Did too!"

"Nuh huh!"

"Yes huh!"

"Leah!"

"Quit your complaining. You know you did!" Leah said rolling her eyes at her as she made her way up to her room. Her mom seemed to be already sleeping. "Besides, with the way he was holding on to you and kissing you, I'm surprised you didn't end up nude."

Naomi gasped.

But Leah only laughed mockingly. "What? Don't tell me you didn't think about it?" Leah continued to walk up the stairs backwards, slowly and carefully taking her steps, taunting Naomi. "It was written all over your face! Heck, I thought you were going to rape him!''

Naomi didn't wait for Leah to finish her dawdling accent up the stairs. She raced up after Leah, surprising her into a squeal. It almost shocked Naomi to a standstill but she managed to keep her composure.

Their footsteps could be heard as they both ran loudly down the hall of the second floor towards Leah's room. Leah's laughter reverberated through the door she tried slamming shut on her. Naomi pushed against it, laughing and threatening to break it down.

Leah on the other hand, couldn't push very hard because she was too busy laughing, "Shhh!" she said in between laughs. "You're gonna wake my mom!"

"Me? You're the one laughing like a maniac!" Naomi said, taking advantage of Leah's lack of control and pushing harder on the door. She heard a loud thump and an 'uff' coming from the other side of the door. She pushed the door open and walked in. Leah was face flat on the floor with her rear up in midair. Her right eye was shut close while her cheek was pulled upward; making her mouth look slanted and forcing it open.

Leah glared at Naomi with her one opened eye.

Naomi took in the scene and tried not to laugh. If she wanted to keep existing and living on this earth she would definitely keep her mouth shut.

She stifled a chuckle. "You okay?"

Leah pushed herself up slowly, groaning and rubbing her face in comfort. "Do I look okay to you?"

Naomi walked over and helped her up. "You deserved that."

"Yeah well, you know you wanna fuck him."

"What about you?" Naomi retorted. "You know you're gonna do more than just hold hands with what's-his-face!"

Leah smirked. "Probably." She walked over to her bed and sat down indifferently.

"Shameless!" Naomi said in amazement.

Then she smiled widely as an idea hit her. "You know? I'll probably slip later…when you have a full house…and…um…I'll _bitch_ about how you left me here all alone in the middle of the night…to sneak out to your new _boy toy_."

Leah looked at her and then smiled evilly. "Will Sam be…part of the full house?"

Naomi returned the sardonic smile. "I can make sure of that."

"Hmm…It feels lame, like I'm trying to make him jealous or something." Leah said pensively, still massaging her face.

"But that's exactly it! You're not trying to, you _will_. Not to get him back or some stupid shit like that, but to show him you are no longer his. You're free and it's entirely up to you who you see or fuck for that matter." Naomi said walking over to sit on a comfortable bean bag in the corner of the room, closest to the window.

"Don't you think I've noticed the way he still looks at you?" She continued. "All the guys have, except they see it differently. They think he's trying to protect you. But I know he still wants you, whatever his reason is, he still does. And I don't like it. He pisses me off!"

Leah just kept silent as she heard her own thought being spoken out loud.

"In all honestly Leah, I hate his guts! He doesn't deserve you, he never did and he never will! It boggles my mind when I see him trying to be fucking friends with you as if nothing ever happened! And I'm sorry I'm gonna say this but… your cousin's a bitch. No way around it. Her food is good I'll give her that. But I would never set a foot in her house if the guys didn't fucking insist in hanging out there."

Leah laughed a little sadly. "I know right. There so many of us, so many houses available. And they want to hang out there. How fucking inconsiderate of them."

"Leah, why do you hang out with them? I understand that it's pretty awesome hanging with a bunch of guys that radiate so much hotness but… Sam's one of them. How can you handle that? I would've gone mad!"

Leah laughed a bit more freely now. "I don't! I went mad a long time ago. Why do you think I'm so bitchy around them?" She sighed deeply before resting her body on her bed, looking up to the ceiling as if it wasn't there.

"If you haven't noticed, they're the only friends I have. I'm such a loser," she continued.

Naomi looked at her and snorted, much like Leah does. It seemed Leah was rubbing off on her more than she thought. "As if! What the fuck do you call me? You and I could branch off! Create our own crew full of sexy fucking women. How 'bout that? We could rendezvous at my place."

"No Emily?" She asked.

Naomi nodded. "And no Bella!"

Both girls laughed. "We're so fucking lame!" Leah said.

But Naomi only continued. "I'm serious! We could still kick it with them but we'd have our own crew. Not like a gang or anything. Just like friends that we have outside of the guys. Like Janine. She's my friend from Forks. I'm sure she'd be down."

Leah looked at her skeptically, leaning on her elbows as she pushed herself up from her bed. "Is there another reason why you want to keep a distance from them?"

"No." But Naomi looked away, unable to look at her.

"I know you like Jacob. Everyone does. Just as much as he likes you." Leah said.

"If he likes me, why is he always around Bella like that? I understand that she's like a best friend to him but that's not how she sees it. It's uncomfortable. Why should I compete with her over a guy? There are so many out there. Cuter, hotter and definitely nicer than him, who wouldn't piss me off every fucking time I saw him."

"Your right about that but it doesn't make you like him any less."

Naomi sighed and leaned back into the bean bag, her head hanging out of the bag. "I didn't want to like him Leah. I'm too young to like someone like this. I've crushed on guys before, dated and all that but this is different. It's too…strong…for it to be a crush. It's like a… I feel this …." She sighed deeply closing her eyes in desperation. "…just forget it. You'll probably think I'm delusional."

"Is it like a pull? A tug in your chest that seems to manipulate your emotions for him and make them ten times stronger?"

Naomi pushed herself up, struggling to get a firm hold on the bean bag. "How did you know?"

"Sam told me that's what he felt for Emily…when he first saw her."

"The fucking ass hole actually told you that?" Naomi asked outraged. _Did he have no consideration for her or was he just fucking stupid? _She thought to herself.

"He said it was a pull he couldn't ignore. The more he fought it, the more pain he felt. He needed her to feel happy, to be able to calm that immense pain."

Naomi felt the rage and sorrow coarse through her. She didn't know how Leah could keep herself so composed. If anything like that ever happened to her she'd fuck him up so bad and never talk to him again! Yet Leah lingered around. Why?

"My feelings aren't that extreme. I'm sure if I wanted to I could actually get over him." Naomi said, avoiding and suppressing the anger she was feeling on behalf of her friend.

Leah watched Naomi intently and smiled. "Go ahead…tell me how fucking stupid I am for hanging out with him."

"You're not hanging out with _him_; you're hanging out with _them_. Big difference." She said a little too defensively, not necessarily on her behalf.

"But I am going to say one thing. Don't take it up the ass either," she continued

Leah sat up on her bed, tired of leaning on her elbows. "Shoot."

"You _are_ stupid." Naomi said but continued before Leah could say anything. "Stupid for letting someone as insignificant as Sam affect the way you treat the rest of your friends. Stupid for letting him change your personality and your life as much as he has. You shouldn't give him so much power. He's not worth it."

"I'm not giving him any power!" Leah answered defensively. "I've always been a bitch! Ask your brother, he should now!"

Naomi looked at her and realized she hit a nerve. "I don't have to ask him, I know. You were bitchy…but you never pushed the people who loved you away. Because that's what you're doing with the guys. You don't want them to care for you so you won't care for them either!"

Leah looked surprised.

"I'm amazed I'm even having this conversation with you without you flipping out! That you and I have _some sort of _friendship. Because to me, you are my friend. And I care for you and I'll be damned before I let Sam fuck you over every time he want's! Or watch you allow it for that matter!"

"You think I like it! You think I enjoy watching him moon over her like a fucking five year old during Christmas! I don't do it because I want to! I have no fucking choice!"

Naomi saw the truth in her eyes. She realized that maybe she had gone a bit too far. "And I'm sure you have a really good reason. But don't let it ruin the person you are."

Leah sighed, calming herself. She understood all too well what Naomi was trying to tell her. "I'm trying not to. But I can't just turn off my feelings when I'm around him. He fucked me over. I know he did. But it doesn't change how I once felt for him. I was going to fucking marry him! He was my first! You think that's easy to forget? You think I can go through something like this and get out of it unscathed? There's no fucking way!"

Naomi realized she'd forgotten to consider the lack of control they tended to have over emotions. "I'm sorry. I guess I forgot how hard it is to forgive and forget. But do me a favor. When you're bitching at the guys, make sure you take your pride to the next level when it comes to Sam, and ignore the fuck out of him. Play it nonchalantly. Don't let him see that he moves you in any way. Good or bad. When you bitch at him, he knows you care enough for him so that he still pisses you off. Ignore him for me. Can you do that?"

Leah's tension seemed to dissipate with a smile. "Sure. Why didn't I think of that? It'll piss him off a lot more if he gets no reaction from me!"

Naomi felt glad that Leah wasn't holding any hard feelings against her. "You should have dated my brother instead."

"And you should give Jacob a chance."

"Eh! So where am I sleeping today. It better not be the floor again. My back still hurts from last time." Naomi said trying to change the conversation.

Leah laughed. "You can sleep on the bed. Just stay on your side. I'm not one to cuddle."

"Psh! Like I would cuddle with you!" Naomi retorted.

"Right, you'd rather it be Jacob!"

Just as Naomi was getting ready for respond, Leah's phone went off. "You should answer. Wouldn't want to keep your boy toy waiting." Naomi said smirking.

Leah cleared her throat and answered. They talked in hushed voices before hanging up. "He's around the corner. I'll be back in an hour or two. Lock my door NOT my window. Wish me luck!"

"Wow! Slow your roll! Why do you need _two_ hours?" Naomi asked in amusement.

Leah smiled smugly. "It's for me to know and for you to ponder on."

Naomi huffed, but smiled at her anyways. She watched as Leah unlocked her window and pushed it open.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Naomi called out to her.

Leah looked back at her and laughed. "You just expanded my horizons!"

With a loud gasp, Naomi grabbed a pillow that had been carelessly discarded near the bean bag and tossed it across the room, missing by a long shot.

She watched Leah exit through the window with grace and ease, thinking that Leah must have done that several times to be able to jump out with such confidence. She walked towards the window to pick up the discarded pillow and noticed what seemed like headlights pulling away. It felt good that Leah was getting a chance to move on. Even if this little get-together she was having ended up being a one night stand. She smiled triumphantly as she walked across the room, grabbed her bag and turned off the lights.

She stood still, allowing her eyes to readjust to the darkness. She rummaged through her bag, searching out by pure touch her Zune and toothbrush. Once she retrieved both items, she turned on the Zune and played her favorite playlist. Naomi realized her sight had readjusted to the shift in lighting. She walked over to Leah's bathroom and borrowed some of her toothpaste.

While she brushed her teeth, her thoughts began to wonder, as they usually did. Leah's words seemed to resound in her thoughts, seemingly haunting her on purpose.

But maybe Leah was right. She should give Jacob a chance. What exactly was she fighting so hard against? Her feelings for him? What was the point? He didn't have a girlfriend. He wasn't totally indifferent towards her either. It could prove to be the best romance she could ever have.

She felt silly now thinking about it; remembering how much she had done to avoid him. She was obviously afraid of getting hurt. But wasn't that a risk factor taken in every relationship?

If it didn't work out in the end, at least she wouldn't have any regrets later in life. She wouldn't think back and wonder what would have happened if she hadn't caved in to her fears. And if in the end, her heart did ache, she'd learn from it and eventually move on. Her heart wouldn't be the first and it would definitely not be the last to be broken. With her mind made up, she rinsed her mouth and returned to the bedroom.

As if on cue, Usher invaded her thoughts with "You Got it Bad". She rolled her eyes, thinking it was just her luck to have that song playing after the thoughts she just had. So maybe her crush was a little more than just that. And maybe she did have it really bad but she wasn't that far gone that she was calling and hanging up right after he answered. She never wanted to get to that point; to where she felt the need to hear his voice but was too much of a coward to just call and actually stay on the line.

She felt her earphone become loose. She readjusted it before it fell off completely but before she could manage to put it back on, she heard a thud coming from the window. She let the earphone drop, hanging to the side as the other one was still firmly placed in her right ear. She listened carefully, thinking she could have been mistaken.

She heard her name being called in a hushed voice, followed by yet another thud. This time however, the thud came from a rock that flew in through the opened bottom portion of the window. The rock landed in the middle of the room, leaving behind a thin trail of dirt as it tumbled slowly to a stop. She walked slowly towards the window, avoiding any rays of light coming from outside.

From her spot, hidden by the windows curtain, she leaned into the wall. She felt very much like her own version of James Bond. She wasn't necessarily trying to be a spy but she really wanted to know who was cruising around Leah's back yard, reenacting a scene that seemed to be included in every romantic movie.

She leaned to the side, trying to sneak a peek out the window and see if she could see anyone before being spotted. But when she couldn't see anyone and yet another rock came flying in, leaving a second trail of dirt, she stepped out into the open.

Down below, hidden underneath the shadows of a tree was Jacob. He was tossing and playing with a rock in his hand. When he spotted her, he stopped catching and the force of earth's gravity did its thing, pulling the rock down straight to his foot.

"Ow!" he yelped, flinching away from the rock.

Naomi covered her mouth, stifling her laughter. "You okay?"

He simply nodded, shaking his foot slightly before walking out from under the tree.

Naomi noticed the size of the rock left behind. "You weren't going to _really_ throw that, right?"

Jacob smiled, looked back at the rock and nodded. "It's too big. I would have woken up everyone else in the house and I _definitely_ don't want that."

"Then what _do_ you want?" She asked feeling her heart react to the smile he gave her.

He took a deep breath. "Can we talk?"

She felt the uncertainty creep up on her. But she pushed it away, remembering her earlier decision.

"I'll come down." She said as calmly as she could.

"Or I could come up. " He offered hesitantly.

Naomi looked down at him and then the room, noticing the comfortably inviting bed and the lighting of the moon that seemed to spill nicely into the room, giving it a somewhat romantic feeling.

"I um… I think I'll come down instead."

She walked out of the room, creeping on her tip toes down the hall. As easier as it would have been to leave like Leah had done, Naomi didn't have the same confidence and grace and she feared she'd just end up flat on her face and with more than a few broken bones.

She started her slow and calculated descent. But like in every horror movie, she just had to step on the once area of the floor that would squeal loudly. She winced and stood still as the sound traveled through the house. She listened for any movant or sings that Leah's mom had woken up, but after a few moments of silence she continued her descent.

She went through the backdoor, making sure to leave it slightly open, just in case. She walked out into the cold night, making her way around the house to where Jacob had been. Naomi felt the jittery sensation in her body increasing the closer she got. She took deep breaths to calm her fluttering heart.

She walked out to where she had seen Jacob last. He was standing there, in the middle of the yard, illuminated by the moon light. He turned and smiled at her, walking to meet her halfway.

"What took you so long?"

"You try sneaking out unnoticed from a squeaky house." She retorted.

His looked amusement, a glimmer of laughter in his eyes.

"So…what did you want to talk about?" She asked, keeping her gaze from making any direct contact with his eyes.

He shifted his feet nervously. "I…um…well…" He cleared his throat. "…what happened earlier…"

She looked away, feeling her face becoming hotter as the memories of earlier flashed before her eyes.

"It was a dare. What is there to ask?" She hoped her voice was steady and that he wouldn't see the truth behind her words. It wasn't just a dare. Not to her.

"Was that all it was to you?" He asked trying to meet her gaze. She kept looking at everything but him.

She on the other hand, struggled to keep from wringing her hands nervously in front of him, instead she settled for wiping on her jeans her suddenly perspiring hands.

"It was a dare." She repeated.

His brows furrowed slightly, giving her a look that portrayed annoyance and maybe even a hint of anger. "You'd kiss any guy like that, just to win a dare?"

"No! I'd kiss him like that to keep my clothes on!" she said defensively, although her explanation sounded absurd even to her own ears.

"You're much to talk! What's your excuse?" she continued, returning his angry look.

He was silent, his jaw becoming taught with anger. "Because I wanted to." He said looking away. He seemed to be struggling with his emotions, between anger and embarrassment. It really didn't matter to her though; she was still caught off guard.

"But if I had known. I would have stripped instead." He continued, his eyes still focusing intently on the overgrown grass below his feet.

Her chest began to ache and her heart pounded at the sound of disappointment in his voice. She felt like she had just failed him. But she didn't understand why. "What about Bella?"

"What about her?"

"She's…your…" but she didn't finish, instead leaving her words to linger in the air. The cold wind blowing around them was the only thing disturbing the silence that fell between them. She looked at the floor, pulling away the hair that kept getting in her face. She was almost ashamed for always using the same excuse.

He sighed deeply, frustrated. "She's just a friend. I've already told you that."

She was embarrassed for harboring these strange hateful feelings towards her. "Well…she's a very _clingy_ friend.''

"But just a friend." He repeated. He took a few steps closer to her, outstretching his hands and pushing away the hair that kept blowing into her face.

"You on the other hand, are not just my friend."

Naomi lifter her head and looked at him, surprised by what he said. "Then…what am I?" She asked nervously as her heart went into overdrive. She seriously needed to go get her heart checked. It couldn't be normal how her heart started pounding hard and fast and suddenly right after her hands where perspiring and her legs where to week to sustain her.

"I'm hoping we could be something more."

She felt a smile pushing its way to the surface. She wanted to squeal and laugh and hug him and say 'yes, we can definitely have more,' but she didn't and she wouldn't. Even though she was feeling giddy and all she wanted to do was allow her smile to break through, she wouldn't. She still had her dignity. Besides, she didn't want to come across as desperate or obsessed. She did however loose miserably to her smile and in return Jacob gave her a dimpled grin as well; which in consequence led to her stomach flipping inside her, causing some sort of earthquake that disturbed the natural rhythm of her heart.

"There is a movie I've been meaning to see." She was trying to be smooth and calm, much like he was being, but she knew that her face was all too evident. She was good at hiding things, covering her emotions, but there were exceptions. For example, she had never really experience what she was experiencing right now. She didn't know how to hide her rising expectations and the gleam she was sure showed in her eyes. Happiness was a strong emotion that was very hard to hide. She had never had a purpose to hiding it before. The only reason she was doing so now was because she didn't want to seem easy. She didn't want him to think he could have her with just a dimpled smile and some sweetened words; even though he had her at hello.

He grinned his smile at her; the one that kept doing strange things to her body. "Friday then?"

"Friday."

"Seven?"

She unconsciously licked her dry lips. "Seven-ish is fine."

He kept looking at her, his eyes roaming her face. "Good! It's a date!"

She nodded and tried breathing. _Damn fucking butterflies have invaded my chest! It's getting harder to breath!_

"It's a date!"

Once again, it became silent and only the wind whistling around them could be heard. They looked at each other, both smiling like dorks. They moved and shuffled uncomfortably after a few seconds, uncertain on how to keep the conversation going.

"I should go in then…before someone wakes up and finds me out here." She said unsure of what to do next. She really didn't want to leave. She'd rather be out here with him.

She awkwardly started to turn around to leave but before she could start walking away, Jacob grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him once again. "There's something I really want to do," he said huskily. "But I don't want to ruin this before we even start."

She gulped nervously, becoming suddenly very aware of his body, his hand on her arm, his warmth and his lips. "What is it?" Her voice came out low and hoarse.

"This!" He said leaning forward and kissing her.

She was briefly caught by surprise before her own lips responded to his kiss. This kiss was different than the one from earlier. This one wasn't hot and passionate. It was soft and tender, slow and loving. She felt raw emotion coming from him, triggering her own.

But with the increasing need growing in both their bodies, that slow innocent passion soon became heated desire. It was anxious and needful, becoming overpowered with lust.

His hands found their own way to her waist, lustfully pulling her to him. The heat his body was emanating called to her, begging her to touch and feel and want. She leaned into him, wrapping her hands around his neck as she pulled him closer.

She felt herself being pushed backwards but didn't give it much thought until she felt the hard surface of the house siding on her back. For a split second rationality gained the upper hand and the thought she'd lost her mind. But then he started sucking on her lower lip and all thoughts of rationality left her mind.

He kept pulling her, almost desperately, trying to get closer. There was no space between their bodies. His left hand was firmly holding on to her waist while the other roamed and caressed its way up to her neck. His lips left hers, trailing a path along her jaw towards her neck, slowly and tenderly nibbling along her skin. She instinctively leaned back, exposing her neck to him for better access. His lips and tongue lingered where her pulse was stronger. He kissed her there, licked and sucked gently while his right hand teasingly touched her back, moving slowly towards her lower back.

She bit her lower lip, trying to keep herself from moaning. She couldn't think. She could hardly breathe. Yet somewhere in the back of her mind a small voice whispered to her to stop. While yet another voice, louder and bolder screamed for more!

Her mind was quickly being consumed by a thick cloud of desire and all she wanted to do was feel Jacob.

She wanted to feel all of him!

His hand, the one that was holding her firmly against his body, began exploring too, slowly finding its way to her stomach. His finger lifted her shirt a little, enough for the cold air to hit her warm body, causing her to suck in her breath. He touched her exposed skin, tracing circles around her belly button and along the jean's hem.

Her heart was beating frantically in her chest. Her stomach jolted with his touch. His caresses created a pull in her abdomen that travel down to her womanhood. It was a new feeling that she was completely enjoying. And she wanted him to enjoy it too. She just didn't know how to make him feel the same way.

She wanted him to feel the same things she was feeling. She wanted to touch his bare skin and kiss his chest. She wanted to explore his body with her mouth. She _needed _him…inside her!

That sudden thought jolted her to her senses. It was the first time she had thoughts like these about someone attainable, someone that wasn't the lead on some drama or Hollywood movie.

Jacob was real and he was here!

"We…we need to stop." She whispered thickly, trying to pry his fingers from moving any further down.

"What?" He asked, too unfocussed by what he was doing.

"Jacob…stop."

His hands became still. He lifted his head and her neck instantly felt empty and cold. He looked at her and it seemed he too suddenly realized what had just happened. "I'm…sorry. I shouldn't have…"

He started pulling away, looking embarrassed and worried. "It wasn't my intention to go so far."

Instead of feeling embarrassed too, she felt rejoiced. "It was my fault too." she said hoping to dilute his doubts. "But it won't happen again. We just started dating.''

"Oh." He said sounding disappointed.

She smiled and almost wanted to kiss him all over again, just for being so cute at the moment. "Not until after our third date."

"Well…then this Friday could be our third date right? If you consider the other day on the beach a date and today a date then Friday would be our third date!"

"No Jacob. It doesn't work like that."

"It should."

"But it doesn't. Go home and rest, it's late." She said, realizing that it was almost time for Leah to come back.

"Okay, goodnight." He looked like he wanted to lean in and hug her or maybe even kiss her goodnight but he didn't. Instead he waived awkwardly and walked backwards towards the woods.

"Goodnight."

She walked back into the house, careful to keep her noise to a minimum. When she got to Leah's room, she slowly pushed it open and walked inside. She almost screamed when she saw a figure climbing into the room. Thankfully she realized it was Leah.

"You're back!" she said stating the obvious.

"No duh Sherlock!"

Naomi ignored her sarcasm and walked over to the bed, jumping in and snuggling close to a pillow. "How'd it go?" she asked excitedly.

Leah walked closer to the bed and smiled. "Good!"

Naomi looked at her expectantly, awaiting for a more detailed answer. "…and?"

"I'm not telling you until you tell me how it went with Jacob?"

Naomi grinned widely. "It was fucking amazing!"

* * *

a/n: This chapter got away from me lol. I never planned the conversation between Leah and Naomi. It just sort of happened. I kept it though b/c i like it. In a way it was a way for them to connect more and also show a little bit more on Naomi's personalty. :D

Anyways, I'm super excited to know what you think of that little scene towards the end! :D It's my attempt at something more kinky. I'm trying to warm up to the good part lol :D But just to make things clear, they are NOT a couple yet. They are simply going to start dating. but in a few chapters i'm gonna throw a twist your way!

Oh by the way, i got a little carried away and i decided to write out a scene that wouldn't leave my head. Its from several chapters ahead. I would like to share it, maybe just a peace. I'm not so sure though...

Oh the heck with it. Here's a small paragraph. Tell me what you think of it too!

* * *

She reached for the door. She could almost touch it. But she could not bring herself to knock. She let out a sigh full of pent up frustration. She groaned to herself and turned around to leave. She heard the door click behind her. She stopped on the stairs; her pulse quicker than a few minutes ago. She'd forgotten that he had super hearing too.

"You're going to stand there for half an hour and then just leave without even saying hello?"

His voice sent a shiver down her spine. It was low and throaty. He had no idea what he did to her with that voice. It was like listening to his passion. But in this case she figured what she heard in his voice was resentment and anger.

"I wanted to…."she said sighing in sorrow. "…but I didn't have the courage." _Or the heart to be rejected_, she added mentally.

She heard shuffling behind her. "Are you afraid of me?" He asked. He was closer to her now. She could feel the heat coming of off his body.

"I'm not afraid." _I'm terrified._

"Then what's the problem?" He asked. She felt the tremble of his voice travel her body. She closed her eyes savoring his proximity.

"I'm ashamed.'' _I'm terrified that you'll reject me. That you're too angry and hurt to forgive me._

"Ashamed?"

Even though he wasn't right behind her and he wasn't touching her, she could still feel him close. "I'm sorry." She whispered fighting back the tears.

"Sorry for what?" He asked sounding irritated.

She turned around to face him, suddenly angry. "You're not making this any easier Jacob. Why can't you just take my apology and leave it at that?"

"Because you don't mean it." He said almost nonchalantly. But you could see the restraing he kept on himself, his jaws clenched as he kept his anger bottled.

"How would you know?" She said defensively. "I've never meant anything in my life more than this!"

But he only looked at her skeptically, eyebrow arched in disbelief.

She groaned in frustration. "I didn't do it on purpose. I had no idea the hurt I would cause. It just happened and when I realized what I had done it was too late to fix it. Jacob… I'm sorry!"

But her words seemed to go unheard. Jacob seemed to be getting angry himself. "Sorry! You think you can fix everything with a fucken sorry! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me!"

* * *

I was going to give you more but decided against it. It revealed too much! :D it's just a scene that will be in the story, just not so soon. take it as a teaser!

Please review! i love hearing or um reading what you think!:D


	15. An Eye for an Eye

**A/N: I've made this chapter super super long. I'm kind of hoping it will make up for the lack of updates. I want to thank everyone that has reviewed and added this story to his/her favorite and alerted. It makes me happy to see how many have added it to their alerts and even more to see my story is being added to ppls favorite. :]**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. :D**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 15- An Eye for an Eye**

It had been a very long week, and through it all she'd just become antsier. She saw Jacob a couple of times and during those brief moments she'd never felt so nervous.

Naomi would think back to that night and she'd feel the heat rushing to her face. She was so embarrassed! She couldn't believe she did that! She made out with Jacob Black in Leah's back yard! He caressed her body and she allowed it!

_Shit, I fucking enjoyed it! _She thought.

And that bothered her the most. She wanted Jacob, a guy she hardly knew anything about. What would have happened if she hadn't had a moment of sanity?

They would have probably gone all the way and she'd be regretting her first time!

Wouldn't she?

She hated feeling so conflicted. For one part she felt slutty. She had made it all too easy for him. And yet she also felt relieved. With the feelings Jacob managed to provoke in her, she was surprised she'd lasted so long; that she hadn't gone all the way a long time ago.

But now wasn't the time to ponder on her conflicting morals.

She was impatiently waiting for the last class of the day to end. Her friend looked at her mockingly, knowing exactly why she was fidgeting in her seat, consistently glancing towards the wall clock. "The more you look at it, the slower it goes." Janine said.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing." Naomi countered. Once again with her conflicting emotions, she didn't know whether to feel impatient for time to pass or nervous because it was going by too quickly.

"You're kidding right?" Janine asked. "You've talked about today all damn week! Now you're nervous!"

Naomi made an "as-if!" face, rolled her eyes and looked at her open book. "I'm not nervous. I just don't know what to expect."

"Don't set expectations. That way he can't disappoint you."

Naomi laughed sarcastically. "Great! He could take me to a dump, literally, and I wouldn't be disappointed!"

Janine scrunched her face by the thought. "Okay, so maybe you _should_ set some sort of standard."

The bell rang before Naomi could say something.

_I should have kept an eye on the clock. Time would have gone by slower!_ She thought, packing her materials slowly.

"It'll be fine. It's not like it's the first time you're alone with him. Think of it as two friends hanging out." Janine said standing from her seat.

_Tell that to my palpitating heart._ "Yeah, I'll do that. Just two friends."

They walked out of the classroom into the student filled hallway. She conversed and said bye to a few friends before reaching her car. Janine wished her luck and said she absolutely had to call her after the date, no matter the hour.

She got into her car and drove home, reconsidering for the umpteenth time the outfit she was going to wear. She really wanted to look nice; to wear something that would make her feel a tad bit more confident. Yet she didn't want to seem like she actually tried to look nice, even though that's exactly what she was doing.

When she got home, she was surprised to see her dad's car outside. He was home early. She became nervous all of a sudden. She hadn't really asked for permission to go out tonight. She just assumed she'd be able to since she and her dad had agreed she could go out only when it didn't interfere with school or her chores.

"Dad?" She called out when she walked into a silent home. She walked around and noticed her dad's keys on the table and his shoes in the hallway closet.

"Dad?"

"Upstairs!" She heard him call.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs, looked up and called out, "You're home early. Something wrong?"

Her dad stepped out of his room, drying his hair, apparently just out of the shower. "Work. Just added another cold case to my files."

"Oh. Well that sucks." She said moving away from the stairs towards the kitchen. "What do you want for dinner?"

"You're making dinner already?" He asked walking in behind her, throwing the wet towel over his shoulders.

She opened the fridge door and kept her eyes glued to the food. "Um, yeah. I sort of have something going on later."

"You're going out?" He asked, with a sudden change in his tone. "I don't remember you asking me for permission."

She rubbed her neck nervously. "I kinda thought it was okay. Remember you said it was fine if it didn't interfere with school or chores. It's not a school night and I'm getting dinner done early."

"I remember saying it was okay for you to go out on _weekends_ and maybe during the week if you asked for permission in _advance."_ He said pulling out a chair to sit.

"Well, Friday is considered part of the weekend after 7pm. Ask the cell phone company." She said smiling triumphantly. Her dad however didn't seem fazed.

"Who, where and why?"

"Huh?" Naomi asked confused, forgetting for a second that she was trying to avoid eye contact, and turned around.

Her dad sighed deeply as if annoyed. "Who are you going with, where are you going and why?"

"Oh!" She said turning around again fidgeting in her spot as she pointlessly looked at the fridges insides again.

"Jacob, don't know where, and uhm, it's a date." She said quickly, trying to get past the _date_ part.

"Excuse me?"

She winced. "We're just friend's dad."

"No."

"What! Why?" she whined, "I already said yes!"

He got up from the chair and walked towards the living room, grabbing the TV control on his way to the couch. "You should've asked first."

"But dad!"

"Shrimp." He said, never taking his eyes from the screen as he changed channels.

She was momentarily startled. "W-what?"

"I want shrimp. The spicy shrimp that you make, the one Joseph taught you how to make for his restaurant. Make that for dinner and make sure it's spicy. "

Naomi looked at the back of her dad's head angrily, mumbling incoherently underneath her breath.

"It's called _camarones a la diabla" _she called out as she stomped into the kitchen.

_And I'll make sure its super fucking hot,_ she thought angrily.

She took out the shrimp and placed them in the sink to defrost while she took out the rest of the ingredients. She prepared the rice while she waited for the shrimp to thaw. After finishing with the rice she made the hot sauce, making sure she added extra chipotle peppers and a lot more jalapeno peppers than needed.

But before she blended the spices together, she felt bad. You can't enjoy a meal when your tongue is on fire. Besides, she'd be eating too. Sighing regretfully, she pulled out a couple of jalapenos but decided to leave in the extra chipotle peppers. They would add the extra zing her dad wanted and hopefully he'd rethink his earlier decision.

While she continued to prepare the meal, she thought she heard her dad talking to someone. She peeked out and saw him on the phone. She couldn't hear anything but she figured it was probably work related, as usual.

Around half an hour later she heard a knock on the door. Her heart raced for an unknown reason. It was too early for it to be Jacob. She was still hoping to convince her dad within the two hours she had left until seven.

_It's probably the person my dad was talking to on the phone. Work related. _She thought to herself.

She pulled two plates and started serving the food. She was thinking of ways to pursue her dad to let her go. She wanted to plan out her speech perfectly, thinking of every excuse her dad could use. She grabbed a plate with each hand and turned to take them to the table.

She almost dropped the plates when she saw who was walking with him to the dining room. "J-J-Jacob… w-what is he doing …what are you doing here?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I um… well, the thing is…"

"I called him." Her dad said, walking past him to the table. "You should put out another plate."

She watched her dad, completely shocked still, as he comfortably sat down and starting eating. She pushed _her _plate towards Jacob and walked back into the kitchen, complaining to herself how the leftovers were supposed to be for dad's lunch tomorrow. Now she had to think of something quick and easy to make for his lunch so he wouldn't use that as an excuse to keep her home tonight.

Her hands were shaking as she served some food for herself.

Why had her dad called Jacob? What was he up too? She knew there had to be a reason but whatever it was nothing would save her from the embarrassment she knew she was about to face.

_Is he purposely trying to embarrass me? Because if he is he certainly did a great job of it! Oh my God! How humiliating! Jacob must be regretting ever asking me out on a date!_

She turned around, ready to go back into the dining room but as soon as she saw Jacob drinking the coke almost desperately, she turned back around.

_Oh my fucking shit! The shrimp is super spicy! Why is he drinking coke? The gas makes it hotter! Great! Just fucking great! Thanks a lot dad! Now he'll think I can't cook either!_

She was completely embarrassed; both by her dad's actions and the food. She should have taken out those extra chipotle peppers.

Trying to ignore the embarrassment she was feeling, she walked into the dining room. She could feel her dad's eyes on her as she sat down. But she refused to look up. Instead, she looked at the shrimp and started eating.

The shrimp was really spicy, even to her. But even then, she refused to look up and see if her dad was being affected.

"This is…" Jacob started, clearing his throat. "….this is really good. Spicy but good!"

Naomi looked up. He was taking a spoon full of rice dipped in some of the shrimp sauce. After he swallowed, he sucked in air, trying to cool the heat on his tongue. He reached for the soda, again.

"Don't. The gas in it makes it worst for some reason." Naomi said, blushing when Jacob looked at her. His ears were red and he was staring to perspire. If you looked carefully you could see a few drops of sweat on his forehead.

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. "You want some cold water?"

"Please!" He answered simply, almost desperately.

She smiled at him. As she was standing up she caught her dad looking at her with a serious expression on his face. "Oh.. um… you want some water dad?"

He seemed to consider his answer before responding. "No. It's not that hot." He said, allowing his gaze to linger on Jacob for a few seconds. "Bring the boy some ice cubes instead.

Naomi looked at Jacob. He looked embarrassed as he looked away. She felt angered with her father for putting him on the spot like that. She walked into the kitchen, grabbed a couple of cups and filled them both with ice.

When she went back into the dining room, she gave one to Jacob and kept one for herself. He eyed her curiously. "It's spicier than usual." She said in response to his silent question.

Her dad eyed her curiously too before pushing his empty plate away. He then looked at her, "When you're done, clean this up."

Naomi couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Why was her dad treating her like this, so distant and cold?

Her dad got up and walked to the living room once again. But he stopped as soon as he reached Jacob. "You should help her."

"Y-yes sir."

They ate the rest of the food in silence. She was too scared to start a conversation with Jacob. She didn't want to risk her dad overhearing and then saying something else. She saw Jacob picking up his dish.

"You don't have to, I'll do it." She said, motioning for him to leave the plate on the table.

But he picked his plate and her dad's and walked over to her. "I told your dad I'd help," he said walking once again towards the kitchen sink.

She quickly ate more of her food before taking her own plate to the kitchen. There was no way she was going to let him wash the dishes too!

She threw the leftovers of her plate into the trash bin and rinsed her plate. "Here, I'll do it."

"How about you wash and I rinse?" He said, taking his spot right next to her.

"Okay."

She began washing the plates and handing them over, not sure how to get rid of the awkwardness around them. "I'm sorry my dad's being…um…that he's being…"

"… a dad." He finished for her.

She chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah."

"It's okay. I'd worry if he didn't care who his daughter was dating."

She smiled, handing him another washed plate. He rinsed the plate and put it on the drying rack before bending down closer to her face. "Is it normal for my lips to burn?" He whispered.

She turned to look at him before laughing. "I'm sorry Jacob! I usually don't make the food this hot. It's just my dad pissed me off because he said I couldn't go out tonight."

He smiled and licked his lips. She felt like her heart tripped, stumbling momentarily before resuming its normal rhythm. "Remind me not to piss you off when you're cooking my food," he whispered with a smile that seemed all too knowing. _Did he hear my heart stumble? He couldn't have, right?_

She chuckled nervously as she turned to look at him. "Let me see." She said turning his head so he faced her. "You're ears are still red!" She reached out to touch them with her cold, wet hands. Her hands trebled, barely visible, as she realized what she was doing. But the realization didn't stop her. His ears felt hot to the touch. "Does that feel better?" she asked, her voice thicker than normal.

He was watching her. They were so close to each other. "Much better."

His voice, low and throaty, did things to her body she didn't even want to start thinking about.

"Are you two done in there?" They heard her dad call out from the living room.

Naomi pulled her hands back quickly, groaning inwardly as she guessed it was probably time for some sort of serious talk. "I'm sorry." She whispered looking at Jacob apologetically.

"Don't worry about it." He said leaning closer to her ear. "Maybe we can still go out later."

She smiled, hoping more than ever, that her dad got over his sudden overprotective father disposition. They walked into the living room together, feeling equally anxious. They sat on the couch, side by side. This earned them another glare and suspicious look from Naomi's dad.

"I'm going to be blunt about this. I don't like this _situation_ at all." Toni started, emphasizing on '_situation' _and giving Jacob a look she didn't quite understand. Jacob moved uncomfortably in his seat but only nodded. It seemed to her as if there was a sudden mutual understanding between the two. She couldn't help but feel like they had already spoken before or that there was something they were both hiding.

"The fact that you've decided to date, and not once did it get mentioned to me, makes it even worst," he continued.

"Dad, it's my fau—"

"I'm not done." Toni interrupted. She felt her face heat up. "I expected to be _informed_ when _something_, whatever it was, began."

Naomi looked at her father like he had gone crazy. But her dad ignored her wary looks, and continued to speak directly to Jacob. "My daughter is _far_ too young to be in any sort of serious relationship. She has high school to finish, a college education to pursue and _many, many_ personal experiences to have; for better or for worst."

Naomi hid her face in her hands. "Dad please! It's just a date!" She seriously wanted the earth to open up underneath her and swallow her! She didn't think she could ever face Jacob again!

_Seriously! Who gives this sort of lecture on a first date? It's not like I'm fucking getting married! _She thought exasperated. _Just stop dad! Please just stop!_

"I understand sir." It was all Jacob said. The way he said it though, it felt like he actually did. Once again, she felt like there was an unvoiced communication between them.

"I don't intend to deprive her of anything. I wouldn't dream of interfering with her goals. All I want is the chance to get to know her." Jacob said with his voice strong and confident. She looked up at him, feeling a wave of pride fill her chest as he spoke to her father. He wasn't trembling and mumbling frightened "yes sir" to her father. He wasn't intimidated by her dad's police position.

She found that kind of hot.

"I wouldn't…I won't force her into anything." He continued, almost reluctantly adding the last part. This bothered her. Why would he have to say that? Of course he wouldn't force her. What would he force her into? At that thought other indecent images popped into her mind, but Jacob didn't seem to be the sort of person to force someone to be with him. Besides, by the way her body reacted to him, she didn't think it be considered forceful if she enjoyed herself.

Her father looked between the two; an unrecognized emotion crossed his features. Concern? Relief? "I'll remember those words Jacob."

For a brief instant, it seemed Jacob looked regretful. But he recovered, quickly hiding whatever emotion had passed through him.

Toni sighed deeply, eyeing the VCR. "Pick her up at seven. If you're even a minute late don't even bother coming."

Jacob looked at the VCR time. It read six thirty. He looked a little panicked, shoving his body a little further off the couch. Her father noticed the movement. He looked amused.

"I'm not done yet." He added stopping Jacob and Naomi from moving. "I want her home by nine. If you're late consider it your last…_date._" He said, voicing the word "date" as if it was poisonous.

Naomi looked shocked. "Dad!"

"Not a word." Her father warned.

"I'll bring her back on time." Jacob agreed, though he didn't look at all pleased.

"Dad! It's just two hours! Not even enough time for dinner and a movie!" She couldn't believe what was happening; how restricting her father had suddenly become.

"A movie lasts about an hour, hour and a half, tops. Dinner should take around twenty minutes. That gives you an extra ten minutes." Her father said matter-a-fact. He stood up and started walking away. Not a single word of his departure.

She felt the anger boiling insider her. She breathed to calm herself. "It takes twenty minutes to get to Forks another twenty to come back. It's not enough time!"

He stopped and turned around. For a brief second Naomi saw regret in her father's eyes; but as quickly as it showed it vanished. "Then you should watch a short movie."

Her angered flared. She had already felt the simmering of her anger in her chest but it seemed as if her dad had purposely poured fuel on it. She felt it all over her body, spreading and rapidly consuming her. She clenched her hands to her side, trying to breathe and stop the trembling beginning to take over her body.

She felt Jacob's hand on hers. She turned and looked at him and suddenly her anger began to dilute. She felt almost ashamed for the anger she felt towards her father. She turned to look at him. He looked shocked, looking between both her and Jacob and his hand on hers.

She pulled her hand away from Jacob, trying to avoid another confrontation.

He turned around to leave but took only one step before turning around hesitantly. "Ten. Not a minute later." He turned around and left without giving them enough time to react.

Naomi felt terrible. She was embarrassed with Jacob and ashamed for reacting this way towards her father. Both feelings she'd been having too often that day.

Jacob stood up and smiled at her. "I'll be back in twenty."

She forced a smile. "Okay."

He stood there for a minute, took a step backwards, peeked behind him and then suddenly he got closer. He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "Don't worry. He'll come around. It's normal for him to react like this. You're his little girl."

She realized then why her dad was behaving the way he was. He probably felt that she was growing up too fast and that before he knew it, she'd up and leave him. The fact that she was going on a date only re-enforced those thoughts; that she was growing up. Once again, guilt coursed through her.

She looked at Jacob and this time her smile was genuine. "Thanks and _don't_ be late."

"It's not that easy to get rid of me." He smiled, winked and turned around to leave.

_Why does he have to be so—so—charming!_ She thought as she walked quietly upstairs. She stopped once she reached the top, silently peeking in to her father's room.

He was sitting on his bed, elbows to his knees, hands to his face. He looked stressed. The way his hands slid over his head as he intertwined them in his hair, pulling at them with a low frustrated groan. She watched silently, a slow ache forming in her chest. She had never seen him like that before. She knew he was upset but she didn't think it be that bad.

"Dad?" she whispered from the doorway.

He looked up at the sound of her voice. Suddenly, he looked older to her; like he aged years in minutes. He looked emotionally hurt, tired. His eyes showed just a hint of red, as if he was sleep deprived or he'd cried. She had no idea that going on a date would affect her father that much. If she had known she would have never accepted. She felt a knot forming in her throat and the emptiness in her chest, the slowly growing ache, expanded almost instantaneously.

She felt her eyes watering as she walked slowly into his room. "Daddy…"

His expression soften, sorrow and regret filled his eyes. The tears she'd been trying to hold back began so slip. He outstretched his arms and she ran to her dad, muffling a sob. "I'm sorry daddy! I'm really sorry!"

He held his little girl in his arms, holding her tighter against him when she wouldn't stop sobbing. "It's okay sweetie. It's okay. Shhh—don't cry."

"Daddy—I didn't think—it was that important." She said in between sobs. "I didn't think it would hurt anyone."

He breathed deeply, forcing the air past his constricting throat. His daughter had no idea what his true reasons were. And that was fine by him, as long as he could protect her. "That's because it shouldn't have sweetie. Cut me some slack. You're my little girl and there are so many things happening at once. Work, you, Jacob, even Billy. Especially Billy. I guess it all just piled up together and—I might have—exaggerated. Just a little."

She pulled away from her dad, huge grin on her face. "Just a little?" she asked sniffling and wiping away the tears from her face.

"Just a little.'' He said, pulling her to sit next to him on the bed.

"What's wrong with Billy?" She asked, leaning into her father and wrapping her arms around his waist. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his right arm around her shoulders.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

The room was silent for a second before her dad continued. "Are you still going out? Wouldn't you rather go watch a movie with your old man?"

Naomi pulled away from her dad and made a face. "It's not the same thing—but if you really want to—I guess."

Toni scoffed. "Don't be _too_ overjoyed."

But she only smiled.

He looked away, hiding his own grin, and pulled her playfully into an embrace. "It's good to know how important I am in your life—_after _Jacob of course."

She held him tighter in response. "Don't be silly. You're the most important man in my life. I'd never replace you."

"That's what you say now. But after the date, I'm sure you'll be mooning over him and planning your spring wedding." He said, a little too serious for her comfort.

"I'm too young to marry dad. Besides, I'm never leaving you, even if I marry. You'll live with me forever and I'll always take care of you. And if my husband doesn't like it—well—he's not the one for me."

He chuckled lightly, shaking her body as she was still clinging to him. "That's what you say now. But wait until you're in love. Besides, as good as that sounds, I will not willingly live out the rest of my life _alone._ I'll date and hopefully I'll find someone before you marry."

She pulled away from her dad, a serious expression on her face. "Date?"

He smiled awkwardly. It was his turn to be uncomfortable. "Yeah."

She scrunched her nose and glared at her father. "With who? Are you seeing someone already? Why haven't you told me? Who is she? How old is she? Where does she work? Does she have kids? Because if she does I'm not sharing _anything_ with them! Anything!"

He looked at her in shock. Then suddenly he laughed. "Is that what I looked like?"

She gave him a confused look. "Never mind. Shouldn't you be getting ready? It's almost seven."

She had forgotten! Her eyes widened when she saw her dads alarm clock on the night stand. She had ten minutes to get ready! Without a second to spare, she bolted out of her father's room and into hers. She quickly grabbed a hair band from her drawer, pulled her hair into a bun, thinking it wasn't necessary to wash it since she had washed it that morning, and ran into the bathroom. She plugged in the hot rollers and hoped they'd be hot enough to curl her hair within five minutes. As she scrubbed her body, she went over her clothing. She didn't have time to try out the outfits. She rinsed and got out, having taken the quickest shower of her life. She looked at the rollers and decided they still needed more time. She rushed into her room and pulled out her clothes. Thankfully, she'd been thinking all week about today and she had narrowed her choices down significantly. But even with the three outfits she'd chosen, she really couldn't spend time on trying each one out. She analyzed them each quickly. One of them was too simple. It looked like an outfit she'd wear to school. The other was a little too revealing, too club-ish. The last one didn't convince her either. It looked to her like it would shout overdressed; especially if they were only going to the movies.

The loud doorbell rang throughout the house, sending her heart into overdrive. She panicked, unsure of what to do. In a haste decision she grabbed the dress, the club-ish one, and ran into the bathroom. A few second after, she bolted right out, threw the dress on the bed and grabbed the third outfit.

_Fuck whoever thinks I'm overdressed! _She thought. _Better than looking like a whore!_

She ran back into the bathroom. She started putting on the hot rolls, hoping that they were hot enough to curl her hair and to last at least for the remainder of the night. As she left the rolls on she began to dress. She slipped into her tight grey skinny jeans, hopping up and down so they'd slide easier. She slid over her shoulders her sleeveless, silky sapphire V-neck top. It had twin grey lines, surrounded by decorative beads that adorned the front, traveling parallel from her shoulders to right below her breast until they met a horizontal stripe, one that gave the top a thinning shape. She liked the contrasting between the sapphire of her top and the dark grey of her jeans. She began to remove the rolls while she shoved her feet into the black ankle boots she decided to wear. Her hair was curly enough but the curls were sticking to each other. She flipped her hair forward, shaking it slightly to give the curls a more natural look. She quickly applied some powdered foundation, black eyeliner and mascara. She went into her room, unable to run this time because of the ankle boots. She grabbed her wallet, small and thin, just big enough for her money and an ID. She didn't really feel like carrying her purse.

She walked out of her bedroom door feeling jittery. It was fifteen minutes past seven. As she neared the stairs she could hear voices coming from the living room.

She walked into the living room, both her dad and Jacob turned around at the same time, miraculously ignoring the baseball game on TV.

"Damn!" Jacob whispered, but it wasn't low enough for us not to hear. Almost as soon as he said it he blushed. Her dad looked at him then at her.

"Sweetie, it's—it's cold outside. You should wear a turtle neck…because it's cold…outside…" Toni said uncomfortably.

Naomi noticed his discomfort and then Jacob's goofy smile. "I'll take my coat. You ready Jake?"

"Yeah!" He said excitedly.

She turned around and walked towards the hallway closet. She pulled out her black double button coat and began to put it on. She felt someone behind her and turned around.

Her dad was standing there, looking pensive. He took a step towards her simultaneously pulling out his wallet. "Take this," he said, handing her a fifty. "Split the bill. That way you don't feel like you owe him anything."

"Dad…" she whined.

"Just get out of here before I change my mind." Toni warned.

"Thanks. I'll be back later!" She said walking out the door, smiling when she noticed Jacob waiting by the door.

"And button up that coat!" she heard from behind. "And don't take it off!"

"Later dad!" she called out instead, walking faster in case her dad did changehis mind.

Jacob walked right behind her, increasing his pace to get ahead and open the door for her. "Hurry!" She said, "I think he's having doubts!"

He turned to look at the house, a silhouette visible on the other side of the window. Jacob made his way quickly to the driver's seat, turned on his truck and took off.

It was a nice truck, fairly new.

"Your dad's truck?" she asked.

He smirked. "No. All mine."

She rolled her eyes. "Daddy's money?" she continued teasingly.

"Some of it is borrowed from him. But I paid most of it."

She looked out the window, unsure how to continue the conversation. She didn't want to seem like she was some sort of gold digger. But she was curious as to how someone as young as Jacob managed to buy a car like this.

"It's not new. It's salvage." He said suddenly. "I had and old Volkswagen Rabbit. It was inconvenient. I needed a 4x4, something I could use to haul or carry things whenever I needed. Plus, where we live, the snow doesn't always get plowed the same day. So I sold the rabbit in an auction, got more for it than I thought I would. My dad hooked it up with a friend of his. He has a dealer license and he's allowed to buy salvage cars from some place us normal folks can't. He hooked it up with the car I wanted. It wasn't that damaged. I made sure of that. I did all the repairs myself. It still needs a paint job though."

"Really?" she said in amazement. "That's nice. I'd fix my own car if I knew how."

"I was gonna fix yours, remember?"

"Oh! Right! The day you didn't show up!" she said, hiding a smile when he frowned.

A light red hue started to spread over his cheeks. He looked so adorable to her. In that moment she looked at him for the first time that night. He was wearing dark jeans, a light grey T-shirt and a form fitting black leather jacket.

"So…where are we going?" she asked, trying to distract him from his embarrassment.

"Well, I wanted to take you somewhere special. But we don't have time and thinking about it, it's dangerous to go out there now. So if you have no objections, how about we watch a movie in Forks and go to the diner a block down?"

She hesitated for a second. "Sure."

She just hoped not to run into some friends. They invited her to the movies but she declined. She thought they would be going to Port Angeles but she didn't count on her dad being such a pain. It didn't really matter to her. It wasn't that she was embarrassed to be seen with Jacob, on the contrary, she liked the idea of people knowing he was with her. She just wanted to avoid all she questions and rumors she knew would be circulating in school the following Monday; at least among those she knew.

They drove for another five minutes before he pulled into a small theater in Forks. It wasn't anything grand. In fact it only had a few movies to choose from, all showing in one room during different hours. It just so happened that a horror movie was showing.

Jacob bought the tickets while Naomi walked over to a small counter and bought some popcorn and soda for her and Jacob. After a few minutes Jacob joined her and helped her with the soda. Together they walked into the dark room. There were several couples in the room; most students, which she knew or recognized and didn't want to cross paths with. She didn't feel like making any introduction and feeling the uneasiness she knew they'd both feel.

Jacob chose a couple of seats in the back of the theater room. It was far from the screen and the prying eyes of the curious couples around them.

"I would've taken you to Port Angeles. They have this nice restaurant, Italian I think, with some mean burgers."

She chuckled softly. "You go to an Italian restaurant for the burgers?"

"Yeah," he said with a small crease on his forehead. "Why?"

"You could go to Burger King or Jack in the Box for that. It'll probably cost you a lot less too." she said, still amused.

He smirked, looking at her as her eyes sparkled with laugher.

His own eyes sparkled with mischief. It gave her an idea of what kind of thoughts were going through his mind as he looked at her like that. She could feel her own blush spreading as he leaned over, closer to her ear and whispered, "But none of those taste as good."

She had to physically stop herself from moaning. His voice sent a tingling sensation through her body. How he leaned in to her, the way he whispered into her ear almost felt like he was saying—I could date other girls too, but none of those "taste" as good.

"Maybe next time then?" She said, keeping her eyes on the playing previews.

"Sure, sure."

She bit her lower lip to keep herself from grinning. It seemed it was a distinct phrase of his. She would never be able to hear those words without his face popping into her mind. There were many things she wouldn't be able to do without thinking of him immediately. She wouldn't be able to look at repair shops without thinking of his skills, shirtless men, without thinking of him and his perfectly sculpted abs. She wouldn't be able to see anyone else without thinking or comparing them—to him.

"Why so quiet all of a sudden?" he asked

He was so close to her she could smell him. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, seeping into her own skin. "I'm watching the movie."

She grabbed some popcorn and ate, hoping he wouldn't continue to ask questions. Why was he so close? Wasn't it enough that even the simplest things would remind her of him that now his scent would be imprinted on her mind too?

She felt him watching her. She fought the urge to look his way, keeping her gazed glued to the screen. She didn't even know what was playing because her thoughts were so focused on ignoring Jacob.

"That one looks good." She heard him say. "We should see it."

She bit the inside of her lip, but said nothing. A new trailer was showing. A movie about vampires, who ruled the earth and searched for a blood replacement as the human race began to fade.

"I'd rather watch that one.'' Naomi said. She noticed the sudden stiffness of Jacob's body next to hers. She turned to him.

"You…you _like_ vampires?"

She looked at him and for some reason she felt that _like_ wasn't the right word. There was something in her that growled in repulsion towards the thought. "Not like." She said uneasily, still feeling weird. "I think it has more to do with the supernatural aspect of it."

"Supernatural?" he asked, turning his body slowly towards her, his entire attention obviously on her.

She felt nervous all of a sudden, more so than before; like a part of her depended on her answer or made up who she was; which was ridiculous she thought to herself. "Supernatural is magical. Vampires and werewolf's, can't be anything other than magical. _If_ they were real, which they aren't, wouldn't it be amazing to have so much power? Like the vampires ability and speed! Or their natural grace and beauty, depending on the movie you're watching of course. Or their Immortality!"

Jacob looked unpleased, a thoughtful frown on his forehead. "So if you could, you'd choose to be a vampire over a wolf?"

"Werewolf," she corrected "And yes and no. Yes because I wouldn't have to painfully change into a beast with no control over my actions and no because both of them, vampire and werewolf, kill innocent people out of savagery or blood thirst. So maybe I wouldn't be either."

Part of her felt satisfied with her answer, quenching that inner struggle she was having with something unknown. A struggle to ignore those sudden feelings she was having towards a subject that was entirely hypothetical. On the other hand, that part of her that sparked those nagging feelings, continued to make her feel nauseous at even considering the thought of being a vampire. And she didn't understand why she was feeling an uneasy hatred towards the non-existing beings.

"You're right. Both are murders in their own way. That's why I'd rather be a shape shifter." He was looking at her, searching for something, a reaction perhaps.

"A shape shifter?" she questioned, "I haven't seen a movie about those.''

He chuckled lightly. "They're people who change into animals."

"Animals? Like what…a dog?" she asked unimpressed.

His smile grew. He leaned in, his voice low. He added a mystified tone to his voice, keeping his eyes focused on her. "A wolf; a giant wolf, larger than a horse, strong enough to kill a vampire but gentle enough to be caressed."

Her eyes gleamed and a smile started to appear. "Didn't know you had such a vivid imagination! But that'd be nice. To be a powerful and beautiful wolf." She said still smiling. "But I'd rather be a Panther or a Tiger, large and powerful, sharp claws and teeth. Oh! No, I take that back, I'd rather be a dragon!"

He laughed; the tension that had momentarily gripped him vanished. "And you said I had the vivid imagination!"

"Seriously though, think about it. If you could, why would you change into a small creature instead of an ancient, flame throwing dragon?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to go anywhere without being spotted."

She looked at him and then frowned. "Damn!"

He laughed loudly, catching the attention of those around them and earning them a few 'shh!'

His laughter died down but it still showed in his eyes. He looked at her and there was something about him, his aura maybe. She felt a sense of belonging; like she could do exactly this, just sit and talk, and be content with her life.

The thought frighten her.

She turned towards the screen and watched. She pushed away that feeling, afraid of it. But those feelings along with the thoughts always managed to seep through her barriers and confront her.

_Why are you afraid? Didn't we decide it was okay to like him? That having a broken heart was okay if it didn't work out? If _**you**_ push him away we will lose him! Regrets are bad decisions we don't want to have._

She held her breath in surprise. _"We?"_ she thought_. Oh my God! I've gone crazy! A double identity disordered or something! We? There's no "we"! It's just me!_

"Are you okay?"

He startled her out of her thoughts, and for that she was thankful. "Oh! Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure? You looked kind of—breathless. It's not even scary." He said pointing towards the screen.

She looked at his finger, then at the screen. She didn't even know what the movie was about. "I'm fine.''

He looked at her worriedly before returning his gaze to the screen.

She sighed, grateful he led it go. She wasn't going crazy. It was just her conscious loudly advising her on what to do, she rationalized. _I'm not crazy!_ She thought.

She looked down at her hands, silently thinking that her loud conscious was right. She noticed Jacobs large hands, compared to hers, on the chairs armrest. She looked at them, almost mesmerized by them, and noticed they were the hands of a hard worker. She unconsciously reached out, pulling his hand to be palm up. She saw the calloused hand and her fingers ached to touch them. She gave in to the urge. She lightly traced her finger from his skin below his thumb to the center of his palm, following the life lines etched there. She heard what sounded like an intake of air but she paid no attention. She was entranced by the feel of his skin; spellbound by his hands.

_The things he could do with them_, she thought. She continued to caress his skin, following the lifeline that arched towards to corner of his wrist. She felt hazed; a strong longing growing in the pit of her stomach.

She heard shallow breathing coming from besides her. She tore her gaze from his hands and looked up. There was a certain look in his eyes, a lustful longing that ignited a fire inside her. She felt it ignite; felt it traveling as if it was following a trail of arson down to the center of her. She felt what she recognized as desire coursing through her body.

She abruptly pulled her hand and looked away. She hoped the darkness of the single theater room covered her blush. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

He was still shocked. His body unable to recover from the electrical sensation that traveled up his arm and to the rest of his body. His jeans were uncomfortably tight and he was thankful that it was dark. He closed his eyes, breathing, trying to get rid of the bulge in his pants.

He tensed, sniffing the air. He could smell her desire and it did nothing to help hide his own.

He closed this eye tightly.

"What's wrong?" she asked turning to look at him, embarrassment forgotten.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. They were dark, dangerously full of longing. "Nothing." He said quickly, right before kissing her.

She was surprised at first but she quickly returned the kiss. It was a little awkward, kissing over the armrest while their bodies were uncomfortably twisted to face each other. When they came up for air, they rested their forehead together, breathing heavily.

"I couldn't resist."

She smiled and shyly kissed him briefly on the lips. "Why were you trying?"

He was left looking at her speechless as she pulled away from him and returned her full attention to the movie.

Thirty minutes later and with mutual confusion about what the movie had been about, they walked out towards the small parking lot. The fresh, cold air hit them both full force, helping diminish to an extent the fire burning within.

Most of the people that watched the movie lingered in the parking lot, others waited for the next one to start. Either way, Naomi felt uncomfortable walking by them. She knew most of them. Some were in her classes, other she had simply seen in the halls. Again, she felt uncomfortable. They were watching them as they walked out. She knew they were talking about them. They weren't being very discrete as they pointed and nodded in their direction.

"Do you know them?" Jacob asked.

"Kind of. The guy in the black shirt is the assistant coach for the girls soccer team, Alex. The others I've seen around. I don't really talk to them." She said, pulling her coat tighter around her.

"Oh."

"Is it just me, or are they talking about us?" she asked, making sure she didn't seem as obvious as they were.

"They're definitely talking about us." Jacob said, inching closer towards her. Their arms brushed against each other as they continued to walk in a slow pace to his truck.

"Don't they know it's rude and uncomfortable?" she asked, not really looking for an answer. They reached the truck but before he could open the door for her, she heard her name being called. She groaned inwardly, and slowly turned around.

"Hey…you!" she said stiffly, looking at the approaching duo, feeling _very_ uncomfortable.

"Naomi, didn't think we'd see you here—Since you turned down our offer to come with." Mike said. He was friends with Alex. In fact, she met him through Alex. She didn't really hang out with him or talked to him for that matter; just the occasional hello. So it surprised her a little when he approached her, out of the school.

"She had a previous engagement." Jacob answered for her, skillfully and smoothly placing his hand on her waist, pulling her close to him. His straight, tensed stance; his firm hand on her waist portrayed so much possessiveness, it was hard to miss.

Mike and his friend, whom she did not know, slowly shifted their gaze from looking at him to his firm hold on her. Mike glared, his friend smirked. Jacob didn't care for either. "I see. She didn't say she was meeting with a friend…"

"Date." Jacob corrected immediately, cutting Mike off, reaffirming his hold on Naomi.

Naomi could practically touch the tension in the air. "Yeah…I had plans already. Didn't I tell you that?"

"You did. You forgot to mention with who," Mike said giving Jacob a once over that wasn't too friendly.

"Why would she tell you that?" Jacob asked annoyed and more than a little angry.

"Guys! Come on the movie's about to start!" Alex said, running up to them. "We still need to get popcorn."

Naomi felt a wave of relief pass through her when she saw Alex and his timely interruption. He looked at her and smiled. "Hey Naomi, how's it going? Ready for the big game next week?"

"Yes! You? You're going right?" she asked excitedly, forgetting for a second who she was with.

He snickered. "Psh! Yeah. I am assistant coach, remember?"

She chuckled lightly, shifting on her feet. "Yeah well, you haven't showed up these last two games."

Alex rolled his eyes and gave Jacob a looked that said something like, _'phs! Women!'_ before turning to look at her. "In my defense, I was trying to get this college crap out of the way before this game. I'd rather miss all other games but not this one. Port Angeles is going down baby!"

"Heck Yes!"

"Here they go again." Mike said, before saying bye and walking away, followed by his un-named friend.

"Don't mind them! They're pissed because they can't come. So who's your friend?" Alex asked, eyeing Jacob curiously.

"Oh! This is Jacob, my date. Jacob this is Alex, our soccer coach."

"Assistant…" Alex corrected. "Nice to meet you. You know, don't listen to those two, they're just nosy—and sort of upset. Mike kinda has a crush on your girlfriend."

Naomi's eyes widen, feeling her face flush. "D-date…" she said quietly. It was hard trying to speak without her voice breaking; especially when Jacob's hand was still firmly attached to her hip.

But Jacob continued to talk to Alex, as if she'd never said anything. "I noticed."

"He get's like that. Especially when his with his friends." Alex said, shoving his hands into his pocket. "Oh, before I forget, you should come watch her play. I'll see if I could get you a spot on the bus. If not, I'll give you directions."

"Thanks man. I'll probably drive there. I'm sure the guys would like to go too."

Naomi had no idea what to do. The last thing she needed was a Jacob sized distraction when she was playing one of the most important games of the season. And he was actually thinking of going _and_ taking the rest of the guys.

"In this truck?" Alex asked, taking a step towards the truck, peeking inside of it.

Jacob smirked in satisfaction. "Yeah."

"It's yours?" Alex asked as he continued to examine the car with admirations.

"Yup." Jacob probably felt as smug as he looked.

"Nice! Where'd you get it?"

After that Naomi tuned out. They talked about the car and all the repairs Jacob had done to it. It probably went on for over five minutes until Alex brought up that he was thinking of buying a car of his own but didn't know much about under the hood, at least not as much as Jacob. Jacob gladly volunteered to have a look at the car before he made a decision.

Naomi started fidgeting. She wasn't that used to wearing high heels, so standing there without moving was making her feet hurt. She wondered how long they would talk before they realized Alex's movie probably started already and that Jacob was on a date.

Alex noticed she was shifting from foot to foot. He chuckled before returning his attention to Jacob. "I'll head in now. The movie probably started already. I'll ask Naomi to contact you for me when I find a car. Or maybe I could go salvage and hire you to make the repairs; if you're down for that."

"Sure thing man. Just let her know."

Naomi rolled her eyes and hid a smile as she saw both of them say their goodbyes and exchange firm handshakes.

Jacob opened the door for her and she stepped in, grateful to be off her feet. Jacob quickly went around and got in. "I like him." he said turning on the car. "Unlike those other two."

She tried not to grin. "I noticed. You two would've gone on for hours if he hadn't noticed I was still there."

He only smiled and continued to talk while he started pulling out. "He's easy to talk to. What is he, a senior?"

"Yeah. He's very well liked in school. We use him to distract the girls from the other team when we play." She said with a mischievous smile. "Works like a charm!"

He pulled out into the street. He smiled in amusement. "What does he do?"

The gleam in her eyes shined as she started to remember. "We make him go up and down the sidelines to give us "advise" but then suddenly he stops and stretches out, accidently catching his shirt with his hands and lifting it up to reveal his well toned abs." she said, struggling not to laugh.

"That works?" Jacob asked perplexed.

"You have no idea! This one time, a girl that was running after the ball coincidently turned his way when he was doing it, and she didn't turn around. She ran straight into another player and fell. The entire team saw and everyone was laughing. I felt bad but I couldn't stop laughing either. It's not as funny to you because you didn't see." She said, starting to laugh as the image of that day started to replay over and over again in her head.

"That's kind of mean." He said but he was still smiling.

"No it's not! She should've paid attention." But she did feel bad though. She could only imagine how embarrassed she had been.

She saw that he was pulling into the Forks diner. It wasn't that full, most of the people in there were adults, a few teenagers but none that she knew. Those were back in the theater. She wasn't really hungry, they ate only two hours ago, still if Jacob wanted to go in, she didn't mind.

Another car parked a few spaces from them but she didn't know who they were. She hopped out before Jacob could help her. It was nice that he liked opening the door for her but she felt a little weird every time he did.

He reached her and placed his hands on her lower back as they walked across the parking lot. They didn't walk really far before someone called out Jacob's name. They both turned around and no one was more surprised than she was.

"Jacob! I didn't know you'd be here. We could have come together!" Bella said, rushing over to Jacob, leaving behind and irritated looking Edward. Yes, she knew who he was. Everyone in school knew. They even wondered why he dated someone like Bella. There was nothing wrong with her but they figured that with his looks he'd be going for a super model or something.

She saw him looking at her with his crooked smiled. She thought he was weird and looked away. Bella was giving Jacob one of her "friendship" hugs, too close to him for her comfort. She fought the urge to snatch him away from her. The fact that he returned the hug did nothing to help.

"Let's go inside! It's cold out here." Bella said, latching on to Jacobs arm and pulling him inside. Jacob looked a little confused as he looked between Edward and her. Yet he still let Bella guide him inside, without her. She felt utterly astound!

_She took my fucking date and left her boyfriend behind! What a bitch!_ She thought.

Someone moved uncomfortably next to her. "Would you like to walk in with me?" Edward asked. He still had his crooked smile on. The one everyone loved. Now she knew why.

She breathed deeply. "Sure." She latched on to his offered arm, fighting against the feeling of wrongness.

_She takes my date, I take her boyfriend. An eye for an eye!_

She heard him chuckle next to her but paid no attention as they walked in together.

* * *

**A/N: So….what did you guys think? I know it wasn't very exciting. I just figured that by adding the dad scene and then the Alex scene you could get a picture of how the date went, of their personalities and how Toni(Naomi's dad) is handling the imprint. Not very well if you ask me. :D**

**I enjoyed this chapter. I really wanted to catch all those feelings we usually feel on a first date. Don't know how I did though. That's why you guys should review and tell me. :] lol**


	16. Was that a Yes?

**A/N: Originally, I planned to include part of this chapter (the first half) with the previous one. Just to include the entire date in one, but then I realized the damn thing was getting way too long. :D though I did want it long to begin with. :/ So anyways, I decided that it might be good to split it, so that the next chapter (this one) wouldn't be too boring, among other things. I do realize I talk/write a lot. For example, when I explain things, like a scene, feelings and thoughts; I just seem to babble. I've noticed that I do a lot of telling and not as much showing. At least I think I do. I try and catch that. Anyways, do I babble? Or am I just over thinking it?**

**:D Hope you enjoy the update! :]**

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 16-Was that a Yes?**

"Do they always do that?" she asked, nodding her head in their direction.

Edward snorted in a fashion that was very unlike him. "Mostly, yes."

She turned to look at him. He was sitting next to her while Bella and Jacob talked like long lost buddies on the bar stools. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"Of course. But there isn't much that I could do."

She sipped on her chocolate milkshake, frowning with the lack of emotion Edward showed towards the couple more than a few feet away from them.

_What does he mean, 'there isn't much that I could do!", of course there is. He could go over there and drag his little girlfriend away from my date! He should demand that Bella stop flirting and hanging on to Jacob as if he was…the sun that lightened her otherwise dark life….or something._

She grumbled to herself and looked at Edward. She was caught by surprise when she saw him suddenly paying more attention to the couple than he had given them all night. His eyes were now glued on them, as if he was trying to listen or decipher something. He even looked a little angry.

"Are you okay?" She asked suddenly worried, though she was beginning to feel a little anxious around him; an anxiousness similar to the one she felt earlier in the theater.

He turned to her, momentarily confused before smiling. "Yes. Are you enjoying your shake?"

Her brows creased together, thinking that Edward Cullen was definitely a weird fellow, and nodded. "Yup! Hit me with another one!" she said, carefully shoving the empty glass away from her.

"Certainly." He smirked, motioning for the waitress to come over. He ordered another chocolate milkshake for her and once again refrained from ordering anything for himself.

"Are you on a diet or something? One milkshake isn't going to make you obese," she said, taking a long and tasteful drink from her milkshake.

He chuckled lightly, something she had never seen him do before, even from afar. "Of course not. I…just…ate."

"Really? So why where you and Bella coming to a restaurant?" she asked skeptically. She didn't appreciate being lied to.

"Well, she hasn't eaten yet. We came for her." He nodded towards Bella, keeping his attention once again glued on the happily chatting pair.

She sighed, slurping away lazily as she leaned her elbow on the table. She wasn't even trying to hold the cup as she reached for the straw with her mouth. For some reason she felt some sort of comfort around Edward. Or it was probably indifference. She would never do that in front of Jake; at least not so early in their relationship.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude _not_ to eat when everyone else is? Like you know, in a restaurant. It makes people feel—awkward."

He suddenly turned to her, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry. I did not realize I made you uncomfortable. Please, accept my apology."

Naomi had to stop herself from gawking. "Do you always talk like that?"

He looked shocked and maybe a little embarrassed, but he quickly pushed them aside, but not quickly enough for her not to notice. "It's the way I was raised."

She smiled, feeling a little regretful for embarrassing him. "It's kind of cute. There should be more of you around."

Once again, she had managed to catch him by surprise. It gave her a sense of achievement, to be able to unnerve the well composed Edward Cullen.

He watched her curiously, in amazement perhaps. "Why haven't we ever spoken before?" he asked continuing to look at her.

"We might have, if you left that little coven of yours for a second, and noticed the rest of us." She slurped the last of her shake, leaned back into her seat and watched Jacob and Bella with scrutinizing eyes.

"C—coven?" he asked wide eyed.

She chuckled lightly, amused by his reaction. "Crew, gang, homies…um…friends...compadres?

He looked relieved for a second before recuperating his composure. "Oh! _That_ kind of coven. Yes, you're right. Maybe we could—get together some time and _hang out_."

She held back a grin at his small attempt to _fit in,_ in terms of speech. So she decided to have her own go at it. "Yes. Perhaps over tea? Or brunch? Would that be alright?"She asked, trying her best British accent.

In that moment, Naomi thought she'd look out the windows and see pigs fly. If she had been amazed to see Edward smile, well now, now she was astonished! He laughed, openly and wholeheartedly. It seemed that she had failed miserably in her attempt to mimic the British and in doing so, she had amused Mr. Edward Cullen.

"That would be splendid, my lady." He said, continuing with the charade.

She smiled, feeling pleased that she'd gotten to know Edward outside of school. She never thought he'd be so much fun. "You're not so bad, Cullen."

He smiled in return. The smile that made every girl in Forks High swoon; the one she could get used to. Yeah, _that_ smile.

"Neither are you,"

They talked a little longer. She made a couple of comments of how she was enjoying her date up until Bella showed up. Edward would just grunt and defend Bella, like a boyfriend should. He blamed it on Jacob.

"He should know better than to abandon his date."

Naomi gasped. "He did not! Your girlfriend keeps pulling him back!" she said, trying not to feel abandoned now. _Did he really abandon me?_

Edward frowned just visibly. He slowly turned to look at them, doubtfully, as if trying not to confirm what she said. His frown became apparent in an instance. His glare directed at Bella and not Jacob, surprisingly. Naomi had to blink several times to make sure he was actually glaring at Bella. She was even tempted to look out the window and check for those flying pigs she thought of earlier.

In that moment, Jacob started to get up but Bella grabbed his arm and continued to talk, maintaining him right where he was. And he did nothing more to get away. _That shows you how badly he really wants to get away from her! _She thought sarcastically.

She grumbled annoyed. "You see! Your girlfriend has serious attachment issues!"

He turned his attention back to her and sighed unpleased. "I'm starting to realize the same. Jacob seems to have gotten rid of his infatuation with my girlfriend. Am I to assume it was because of you?" He asked. He always had that smile on. It seemed to tease and taunt.

"Assume whatever you want Cullen. This is our first date and it's been crap since we got here. Your girlfriend made sure of that."

He gasped mockingly, suppressing a teasing smile afterward. "Are you saying you have not enjoyed my company?"

Her eyes widen a little as she started freaking out. "No! I didn't mean it like that. What I meant was that…if it wasn't for you—it'd be crap." She said smiling triumphantly for her quick thinking.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, looking out the window. "Nice save." He chuckled. "You practice a lot?" He returned his attention to her, trying to keep at bay that same teasing smile he's been wearing all night.

She started at him. From where she was, leaning against the wall, facing him, her leg folded so it rested on the cushioned bench they shared, she had a good view. He was still smiling, hiding his grin as he turned and looked at his intertwined hands. But she could still see it. He was teasing her!

_No…wait…is he flirting? _She thought, allowing her own thoughts to linger on it. Then she mentally laughed. _Don't be ridiculous! He has Bella. Besides, a girl and a guy-who's fucking cute by the way- can be friends without thinking of being more. _

She pushed those thoughts away. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing."He answered without looking up. "Perhaps you need quick saves often, am I right?"

She tried to glare at him but found it hard to since he was trying to contain his own laughter. W_ho would have thought Edward Cullen allowed himself to indulge in such bantering, _she thought. For some reason, he couldn't hide his smile anymore. He turned away from her but it was evident.

"No! Just- sometimes…"she said trailing off. "Why are you smiling anyways?"

_Not that I'm complaining. You look adorable when you're like this. I wonder if he laughs at home? He probably does; Especially around Bella. I heard she's clumsy. I'm sure that after a while he doesn't worry anymore and just laughs, on the inside anyways. Poor guy. I should introduce him to Leah. Yeah, they'd probably get along. She's feisty, just what this guy needs to loosen up._

She was shaken out of her thoughts by his sudden laughter. She frowned and pocked him on his side. "What's so funny?"

He continued to laugh as he spoke. "You! What are thinking about so intensely?" He was leaning heavier on the table now, a lot less graceful. He looked more like a teenager now that he was leaning with his right elbow on the table and he had his other hand rubbing his side.

"Nothing." She said grumpily, though she was trying hard to _be_ grumpy. "And why are you rubbing your side. I didn't even poke you that hard."

He shrugged. "To make you feel strong."

"Punk."

_You know if I didn't already like Jacob and he didn't have a girlfriend -I think I would like this guy. He's not that bad. What would've happened if I had met him before Jacob?_

Right after that thought, she felt that same nagging feeling from earlier filling her chest. It felt uncomfortable, wrong even to think of Edward like that. But she figured she was weird for having those feelings and thoughts and quickly pushed them away.

He chuckled lightly and looked at her. "Maybe, in another time, or maybe lifetime, we could be more than just friends. If the circumstances were right this time around, and I didn't already have a girlfriend and you didn't like that mongr...er...uh…Jacob, I think we would've worked out. But for now, I think you and I could be very good friends."

She smiled and felt a little freaked out because it was exactly what she had been thinking. "It's not like we're married or compromised for eternity or something."

He looked away, towards Bella and Jacob. "Not yet. But maybe soon you will."

She felt like maybe she should have understood what he meant, but she didn't. "Look who's talking Mr. I-worship-the-floor-you–fall-on, oops! I mean, walk-on, the floor you walk on!"

"Funny. I think I'm getting used to those." He said sarcastically.

She looked at him and then towards Bella and Jacob. She wondered what the hell they were talking about that took so long. Just then Jacob stood up, in another attempt to get away, and masterfully shoved his hands in his pockets before Bella could grab them. He said something Naomi couldn't hear and then walked towards Edward and her, followed by a fumbling Bella.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you alone." He said as he reached the table. He glared at Edward for some reason. Maybe because he was sitting next to her and it seemed Edward wasn't planning on moving anytime soon. She smiled inwardly_. Heck yes! My new best friend got one heck of an intuition!_

"I wasn't alone. Edward kept me company." She said, scooting closer to Edward and ignoring that awkward feeling in her chest. "This guy is funny! Did you know that?"

Bella frowned. "Edward? No, Edward isn't—I—I mean, he s-smiles, but he doesn't laugh." She stuttered looking at Edward questionably. "Do you?"

But Naomi didn't let him answer before she scooted closer and replied herself. "Of course he does! In fact, we're thinking of having some more laughs over a nice warm cup of tea. Aren't we Edward?"

He looked down at her, his smile as wide as she'd seen it. His eyes twinkled with mischief. "Of course! Shall I invite my sister? She would be delighted to join us for tea. We have a small parlor that overlooks the gardens. I'm sure you'd love them."

Naomi couldn't restrain her own grin. She was about to answer, continuing on with the charade when Jacob's angered voiced cut her off." What the hell is going on here? Tea! Are you serious?"

Naomi's grin faltered for a second, before she decided to answer. "Yes, tea. Would you like to join us?"

"Edward!" Bella whined as she started pulling on his right arm. "What's going on? You can't have tea with her. I-its l-late and—and its dark outside!"

Naomi almost cackled like some evil genius. It was just too easy. "Don't be ridiculous Bella! Obviously not today silly! Next time, when we go on a date, you can hang on to Jacob while your boyfriend and I have tea in the parlor that overlooks the gardens. Perhaps with some crackers?" she finished, looking at Edward for a response.

"Most definitely. Anything for you, my lady."

"Splendid!" She exclaimed, but she didn't miss the angered look Jacob was giving them. _That should teach him to __**abandon**__ me! The nerve! Oh wow! I think I'm getting way too into this role play thing._

"Edward!"

"Naomi!"

"Oh come on! Can't you play along! Jeez, you guys are no fun!" Naomi whined, internally giggling like an evil genius that had miraculously succeeded with her experiment. In her case, taunting. It proved too easy to piss them both off. She did feel kind of childish for retaliating this way but at the moment she was too engrossed with the results to care. "Edward's the only one that can do it right. We could go all night…long."

_Oh damn!_

Her face flushed a furious red. She looked at her hands, pulling her hair forward to cover her face. "I didn't mean it like that."

"Like what?" Bella asked confused.

Edward chuckled, his body shaking next to hers. It did nothing to diminish the heat in her face. "I know you didn't. There was no need to clarify. "

"Clarify what?"

"Then make sure you remember that," Jacob growled, "because _she's_ your girlfriend, not Naomi." Jacob finished angrily, pointing at Bella when he said ''she's."

"What are you talking about?" Bella demanded angrily.

Edward sighed next to Naomi and looked at Bella in annoyance. Naomi could have sworn she saw a flying pig just then, crashing into a house, but a flying pig none the less.

"Nothing, love. We're just clarifying that it's too late for tea. Naomi needs to be home in forty five minutes."

"What?" Naomi exclaimed, digging into her pocket jeans for her phone.

"Damn!" Jacob cursed. He took a step that put him right in front of Edward. He looked uncomfortable and seemed to be considering something. He shoved his left hand into his jean pocket and massaged his neck uncomfortably with his right. "Can you move so she can get out?" He asked Edward. Not once did he look at him. His attention focused on the table or floor, practically forcing his words out and trying to make them sound—nice.

"Not a problem." Edward said, starting to stand. He turned around and offered Naomi his arm. She took it, earning a glare from Jacob, and got out of the booth. She stood next to Edward, releasing her hold on his arm, while she pulled on her coat to adjust it. Jacob walked over to her and placed his hand firmly on her waist, again. Edward understood the warning and walked to stand next to Bella. She quickly wrapped herself around his arm.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, thinking Jacob was being ridiculously over possessive right now, that there was no need to glare at Edward the way he had. She however, didn't push him away or remove his hand from her waist. It made her feel warm inside for some reason.

"It was a pleasure getting to know you Naomi." Edward said, extending his hand to shake hers.

She took his hand in hers. She frowned when she felt his hands. "Oh Wow! You're hands are freezing! No wonder you didn't want that shake."

Edward pulled his hand away and shoved them into his grey coat."Yes, I'm sort of cold blooded."

Jacob snorted. "Understatement of the year."

Naomi ignored the subtle insult and looked at Bella. "You should lend him your coat. You don't want your boyfriend to turn into a Popsicle, do you?" she said humorously. She really didn't expect for Bella to slowly and uncertainly start taking of her coat; like she wasn't certain if she should.

"It's alright Bella. I think I can manage the rest of the night without your coat." Edward said, stopping her from completely taking off her coat.

Jacob chuckled to himself before pulling her to leave. The four of them walked out of the diner after paying. Edward beat Jacob to her tab, which in turn pissed him off even more. She really didn't care. It just meant she didn't have to pay, which meant she could keep more of the money her dad gave her and use if for other things, like shopping or saving up for the plasma she wanted in her room; the one her dad won't buy her.

Once outside, they stood awkwardly around each other, unsure of how to go their separate ways.

"So um—see you guys in school?" Naomi said facing both Edward and Bella.

Edward beamed while Bella grumbled. "Yes!"

"Sure. Whatever. Look Jacob, can I talk to you really quickly? It won't take long, I promise."

Jacob shifted uncomfortable, pulling Naomi closer to him, if possible. "I really can't Bells. I've got a time limit and I already wasted a lot of it. Why don't you call me later or tomorrow?"

_Or next year,_ Naomi thought sourly.

It surprised her to hear Edward chuckle. For a moment there she thought she said that allowed but when no one else looked at her weirdly she knew she hadn't.

"It'll just take a minute, I promise." Bella said walking closer to him. "Please."

Jacob looked between Naomi and Bella than to Edward and back to Naomi. He grabbed her hand, locking their fingers together. "I can't. I'm sorry Bells, I can't—"

"Just talk to her." Naomi said pulling her hand from his. "There isn't much we can do anyways. You'll have to take me home after this."

He wasn't pleased but he gave in anyways.

Naomi walked over to Edward. They stood side by side, watching as Bella pulled Jacob farther away so they could talk. As they stood there, illuminated by the light coming from the diner, the cold wind blowing around them, Naomi asked about his hands.

"I'm sorry?"

"Your hands Edward, are you still cold? Rub them together like this. It helps warm them up," she said rubbing her own hands together, fighting the chill that threatened to overtake her body as a cold gust of wind blew her hair astray.

Edward looked confuse for a bit before slowly rubbing his hands together.

"Oh my God Edward! Don't tell me you've never rubbed your hands together? Everybody does it!"

He gave her a look she didn't fully understand; like he was _touched_ by her concern or maybe appreciative.

He kept rubbing them together, slowly, but sill rubbing. "I haven't done this in a very long time. Not since-well, since it stopped working for me." He said stopping. He showed her his hands, extending them so she could touch them.

They were still freezing.

"Let me try," she said, cradling one of his hands in between her own. She could feel the warmth the friction was creating. She hopped some of it seeped into his body. It wasn't normal to be this cold.

"Can you feel it?" She asked, releasing his hand and cradling the other one as she started the process again. She felt unusually warm for some reason.

_Please don't let me catch the flue!_ She thought as she fought yet another shiver.

Edward pulled his hand close to his face in amazement. "Yes!" he said excitedly, moving his eyes from looking at his hand and then the one still in between hers. "I feel warm!"

She laughed over his reaction. "Okay, calm down. Here, you rub them together now."

He looked a little disappointed but rubbed them together anyways. He suddenly smiled. "It's still there!"

Now she was starting to freak out. "Okay, seriously, you need a portable heater. You also need to see a doctor. It's not normal to be that cold."

But no matter what she said, he didn't seem fazed. He kept rubbing his hands together, his goofy triumphant smile on. "Sure, I'll talk to my dad," he said looking at her briefly before returning his concentration to his hands. "He's a doctor."

"That's good. Tell me what he says."

"Uhu."

She didn't know how to react to that. This had to be strangest thing she had ever witnessed. But she supposed that if she was cold she'd probably react the same way. She looked towards Bella and Jacob and wondered for the second time that night, what they were talking about.

A few yards away Jacob waited for Bella to start talking. When she didn't he became impatient. "What did you want to talk about Bells?"

She looked at her shoes and instinctively, out of habit, tucked her hair behind her ear. The wind was blowing it all around and for the first time, his hands didn't ache to touch her hair; to hold her in his arms and warm her up; protect her from the cold.

"I just—w-well, is s-she your g-girlfriend?" She bit her lip, trying to hold eye contact but she looked away after a few second, a blush covering her pale cheeks.

"For now, we're just dating. But she will be." He turned to see if Naomi was okay. He was surprised to see Edward rubbing his hands furiously, a wild smile on his face. He looked insane.

Bella's cold touch against his hand brought his attention back to her. "Do you like um—you know—like her a lot? M-more than me?"

He frowned, unsure how to answer her question. He looked back to where Naomi was standing with Edward, still uncomfortable with having left her with him. She looked beautiful standing there, her hands shoved into her coast as she pulled it closer around her body. The wind picked up again, blowing her hair around her face. She shook her head and looked towards the direction the air was coming from. It blew her hair away from her face making it cascade behind her. He had never been surer than now that he really, really liked her. He could even go as far and say he was in love with her and it wouldn't bother him.

"Jacob?"

He shook himself from his haze and turned to face her. "I like you both."

Bella frowned but wasn't able to say anything before he continued. "I like you both but it's different. You, I like as a very good friend. We've known each other since we were kids. How could I not like you? But with her it's different. I like her—I want her—as a woman. She's my imprint Bells. I finally imprinted!"

Bella's face fell, a sudden sadness overtaking her. "Y-you I-imprinted? You imprinted!"

Jacob felt confused by her reaction. He thought that the news would make her happy. "Yes, why? What's wrong?"

"You imprinted! That's what's wrong!" She said struggling to contain her voice low.

He felt angered suddenly. He balled up his hands by his side, trying to keep that anger from growing. "I thought that you, out of all people, would be happy for me. You're one of my best friends. Besides, now that I have someone, I won't get in your way anymore. Isn't that what you wanted?"

She looked like she was about to cry. Her eyes were watering and her voice cracked when she spoke. "N-no! All I ever wanted was for you to understand how I felt. How much I love Edward and how I need you too. You're my friend Jacob. I don't want to lose you!"

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes to try and understand the woman standing in front of him. He exhaled, opening his eyes to look at his friend. "Bells, I get it now. I really do. I love Naomi but at the same time I still want you in my life, as my friend. Don't be scared, you won't lose me. We're best buds!"He said smiling at her, giving her a gentle shove to help lighten the mood.

It didn't work though. "You don't get it. I _need_ you," she whimpered.

And he really didn't understand. "Bells, you have me. Haven't I been by your side every time something went wrong? Wasn't I there when _he_ dumped you? When you jumped of the fucking cliff? When you had that bad girl streak? I'm helping your _boyfriend_ protect you from that damn redhead! How can you think you don't have me!"

She looked away, hugging herself tightly around her midsection. He heard her sniffing and he suddenly smelt the mixture of salt and water.

"Bells—don't cry." He groaned, reaching out to pull her face around to look at him. "Don't cry."

She wiped away the lone tear. "I'm not crying"

"Sure, sure." He said smirking, "it just started raining over your face, right?"

She giggled. "Yes." She sighed deeply and looked at him, a sudden longing in her eyes. "Jacob—I—I love you. Y-you're my best friend. You've been with me all along." She took a step closer to Jacob, making him uncomfortable. "I love you."

He took a simultaneous step backwards. He chuckled nervously. "Bells—um—I—don't know what to say. I—um—love—you too. You're my friend. But I'm _in_ love with _her_." He didn't know what to say. Here he was, listing to the words he'd always wanted to hear, and he felt nothing.

She looked betrayed and hurt. She took a step away from him and turned around to leave. "Talk about ironic," she mumbled.

He turned around to follow after her but was shocked still to see Naomi laughing with Edward like they were childhood buddies.

"What's so funny?" He heard Edward ask. Now that Jacob was actually paying attention to them, he could hear what they were saying.

"You! How long are you going to be rubbing your hands like that?" she asked, taking a step closer to him.

He smiled at her but kept rubbing his hands against each other. Jacob thought he was weirder than he originally thought but he kept looking at them anyways. "Until it goes away."

"You're so weird Edward! Don't your arms hurt?" She reached out to touch his outstretched arms, squeezing them a little. Jacob felt a low growl rumbling in his chest as he watched.

"No." Edward answered with a smirk and a look in his eyes that said he enjoyed her touch way too much.

Naomi looked impressed for a second. "Not bad Cullen. You've got some muscles of your own. And here I thought you were all flab."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes cockily. "Please! You're boyfriend isn't the only one with some muscle." Edward said nodding in Jacobs's direction. He increased the speed in which he was rubbing his hands.

"What's wrong with you?" she said with a laugh, "you're gonna start a fire!"

Edward slowed his rubbing and looked between her and his hands. "You do it then. The warmth is starting to go away."

Naomi complained but she still pulled out her hands from her pocket and took both of his in between hers. "You seriously need a portable heater. Why don't you just move to Florida or California? Or Texas! You wouldn't have this problem."

Jacob snapped out of it when her hands touched his. He walked towards them, quickly catching up to Bella. She looked furious when they reached Edward and Naomi.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, looking at Naomi.

Naomi quickly dropped her hands looking guiltily away. "I—um I was just-his hands are cold."

"That's your excuse for feeling up on my boyfriend?"

Naomi was silent, her eye wide with shock. She didn't know how to respond to Bella's accusation, much less the hurt in Jacob's eyes.

"Bella! She was just trying to help!" Edward defended. He was back to rubbing his hands together. Naomi would have laughed if only she weren't feeling all that tension around them.

"You should try it Bella. I'm sure he'd appreciate it, you're his girlfriend." Naomi said, trying to make Bella see that she wasn't trying to feel up on anybody much less steal her boyfriend.

Bella huffed and latched on to her boyfriend. "Just take me home Edward."

"Sure, love." He said starting to walk away.

"And stop doing that, it's annoying!" Bella complained to him.

He said something Naomi wasn't able to hear. Bella stopped angrily and shoved her hands into his pocket. She took out his keys and promptly walked to the driver's seat of his car.

She shuffled her feet uncomfortably, knowing and feeling Jacob's eyes on her. _Why do I feel like I'm in trouble?_

"We should go." He said starting to move away. He was suddenly so emotionally distant from her. It angered her that he was acting this way after _he_ spent the better part of their date with Bella!

She refused to be the one to apologize or even try to make things better. This was his fault. He should try and fix it. She walked slowly, lingering a few feet behind him. Her phone vibrated on her thigh and she looked down to pull it out. She was struggling to pull it out. Her jeans were taut on her and the phone crept to the very bottom of her pockets. She wasn't looking where she was going so when she suddenly crashed into something, she screamed.

She covered her mouth, embarrassed that she had actually screamed. "I'm so, so sorry sir!" she said to the man she ran into. "I was pulling out my phone and—and I didn't see you."

Jacob was suddenly by her side, pulling her close to him. "Are you alright?"

She nodded and apologized once again to the man." I'm really sorry." She said looking at him. That's when a sudden sense of déjà vu hit her. He looked just like the man from the grocery store. She continued to look at him, trying to remember the guy from last time.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it, honey. I was distracted too." his voice gave her goose bumps. His last words triggered something and she remembered him! It was the same man!

"Hey! Aren't you…"

His eyes darted back and forth nervously, before quickly interrupting her. "Well, I gotta go in. It's freezing outside!" He didn't even allow them to say anything before he practically ran into the diner.

"Do you know him?" Jacob asked, still holding on to her.

"No." She hesitated. "Well, yes. I've bumped into him once before."

Jacob looked back to the diner, to where the man had disappeared into. "Bumped?"

"Yeah, I was…"she was getting ready to explain when her phone started vibrating again." Hold on. I think it's my dad."

"It's not ten yet.'' Jacob muttered.

"Hello?"

_Where are you?_

"Dad! I'm on my way home! _I still have some time_. Relax!"

_I'm not calling for that. Go by the store and get me some root beer, chips and vanilla ice cream._

"I don't have enough time to stop by the store. I'll be late."

_You just said…_

"Dad!"

_Fine! I'll give you twenty more minutes. And get me some salted peanuts too._

"Okay!" She ended the call and turned to Jacob. "We now have forty minutes left on this date."

"No thanks to me."

Naomi pretended to think it over before nodding. "Yeah, you weren't very helpful. "

"I didn't hear you complaining. From where I was standing it sure looked like you were having loads of fun with that bloods- err um-Cullen."

"He is kind of funny…in his own dorky way." She said thoughtfully, remembering how he kept rubbing his hands. _Is he still doing it right now? I doubt it. He probably turned on the heater in the car. _

"Let's go get what your dad asked for." He said instead of continuing with the conversation. He had a particular dislike for this topic. He walked right behind her, his hand on her back, guiding her to the car. He opened the door for her even though he was still feeling the anger from earlier.

They drove in silence to the store and bought her dad's things. Her displeasure with Jacob melted away. She didn't want to end the date on a bad note. Not because of Bella. But she didn't know how to talk to him. She didn't feel like she did anything wrong with Edward. She didn't feel compelled to apologize for that. In fact, she wouldn't apologize for that. What did it say about Jacob if he became upset over something so simple? Would he be one of those over possessive controlling boyfriends?

He tried paying for her things but she beat him to it. She didn't feel comfortable allowing him to pay when things felt so out of place. Even if they weren't, she wouldn't have allowed it either.

They drove towards La Push in silence surrounded by an uncomfortable air. An air that seemed to thicken the closer they got home.

She really liked Jacob and it disappointed her to think things could end like this. She still didn't understand it.

To her surprise Jacob started pulling over. He sighed heavily. He put the car in park and turned to look at her. "I'm sorry."

She looked down to her hands, unsure of how to respond.

"I know it hasn't been the best date and that I reacted all wrong just earlier and I'm sorry for that. It won't happen again. "

She continued playing with her fingers. "Why did you react all wrong?" she asked without looking at him.

"It's—complicated. Let's just say Edward and I have never gotten along and we probably never will. I can almost guarantee you it won't happen. "

"So you've been ignoring me for the past fifteen minutes because you don't like him?" She turned to look at him, anger in her voice and eyes. "You'd let your hatred for him ruin whatever kind of relationship we're starting to have? Unbelievable!" She was upset now. Angry that Jacob would let his personal vendetta with Edward get in their way when Naomi had been struggling all night to keep her own dislike for Bella unnoticeable.

She felt hot suddenly, stuffy. She needed fresh air, something to cool her off before she said something she'd regret later. She opened the door and jumped out, slamming it behind her. She leaned into the car, allowing her head to fall back against the window. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the cold air that cooled her from the inside out.

She heard a second slamming and a set of footsteps approaching her. She kept her eyes closed

"No! No it's not like that." Jacob said standing in front of her. He pulled her hands to him. "I—I felt guilty."

She opened her eyes in surprised. "Guilty? Why?" she asked.

He sighed in frustration. Her hands slipped from his grip. He looked away from her. "Because I messed up. I let my hate for Edward blind me and I overreacted. What would've happened if that guy was a psychopath? If he just so happened to come by in a car and snatch you away? I wouldn't have been there because I was mad you were having so much fun with Edward instead of me. That's why I was quiet. I didn't feel worthy." His voice deflated as he finished.

She didn't know what to say to that. It was the last thing she expected. "Jacob-I-"

"You know what's worst? That I wasted so much time on Bella when I could've spent it with you."

She pushed herself away from the car and walked the few steps to get to him. She took his left hand in hers. "So it wasn't a perfect date. But I had fun. I enjoyed the time I did spend with you. I also understand that maybe you did have some things to talk about with Bella. Or that she probably had something important to tell you." She said, swinging playing with his hand, intertwining their fingers together. "I'm okay with that. Just don't let it happen again."

He looked at her, and slowly but surely a smile appeared on his lips. His eyes gleamed, reflecting the light of the moon shining over them. The trees whispered behind him, the leaves rustling as the air caressed them.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are?" He asked. He lifted his hand to cradle her face. She closed her eyes and leaning into his touch, savoring the feel of his warm hand against her cold cheeks.

"You forgot to mention that," she whispered.

She felt him moving closer to her. His other hand went to her waist and pulled her gently towards her. "Then I'll tell you now."

He kissed her forehead." You…" He kissed her cheek. "…are…" He paused, his lips lingering seductively close to hers. "…beautiful."

She kept her eyes closed, anxiously waiting for him to kiss her. She could almost taste his lips, feel them on her. "If I kiss you—I might not be able to stop."

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked straight at him. His eyes were darker than usual. The emotion in them provoked something in her; it made her bold.

"Is that a bad thing?"

He licked his lips and pulled her closer to him. Their bodies were touching from their hips to their chest. "Never."

He leaned into her, brushing his lips against hers. The light brush soon became demanding, He sucked and probed, silently asking permission to enter. Her lips parted all too willingly.

She could feel her senses clouding over as he kissed her, pulling away to leave a trail along her jaw towards her neck. She didn't realize they were moving until her back hit metal and she was resting against his truck.

His hands roamed her body. First, they just pulled her to him, as he continued to nibble on her neck playfully. His hand roamed her body desperately, wanting and needed to be as close as possible to her. He was fighting the urge to bite her shoulder, to mark her and claim her as his. He knew it was the wolf in him. He needed to fulfill this imprint. He found that the more he accepted his feeling for her, the heavier his need to claim her became. It was getting harder and harder for him to stay away from her, to watch her have innocent fun with other males without feeling a burning rage inside. He knew it was illogical and had no foundations but he couldn't help feeling it. At least being with her now, close like this, was calming him; soothing his wolf.

She bit her lip to keep from whimpering. His possessive hands caressed her body while she allowed him. She wanted him, needed him. It was a feeling she couldn't control and she found herself not wanting to. She lifted her hands, trailing them up his chest, feeling the hard muscle underneath, enjoying the groan that escaped his lips and vibrated against her own sensible skin. She wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned her body against him. She knew it was provocative. That she was encouraging whatever was happening now to go even farther. But she didn't care. He lifted his head to look at her and the lounging in his eyes burned a thawing fire inside her. She pulled him to her; kissing him with the same passion he had kissed her.

He moaned into the kiss, feeling his desire grow. His hands were moving of their own accord, caressing their way down until he cupped the soft mound of her bottom. He felt her tense and he instantly knew he had gone too far.

He pulled away abruptly, missing the feeling of her bottom on his hand. "I—I'm—sorry."

She was breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took. He couldn't help but notice how her breast seemed to be just the right size. He wondered if they would fit perfectly in his hands.

She was caught by many conflicting emotions. With the single stroke of his hand, she realized where this was going and it jolted some sense into her. But with that single stroke, she also realized how good his hands made her feel. She wanted nothing more than to continued, to feel him touching her, kissing her. But her sense of morality wouldn't let her go. If only her mind was clouded over again.

She looked at him, taking in everything that made him up; his strong build, tan skin and bright brown eyes, those eyes that said so much about him. She saw in those eyes what she was feeling, but in him it shined so much stronger. She wanted the same thing. God only knew how much she wanted it, for better or for worst, but she wanted it too. So she threw caution out the windows and pulled him to her. She looked into his eyes and grabbed his hand, placing back on her, where it was last. "Don't be," she said, pulling his lips down to hers.

He groaned in response and pressed his body against her. She could feel his erection rubbing against her hip and a moan of her own escaped her lips. She sucked on his lower lip, holding on tightly to him, pulling him closer.

He moved his hips, pressing his member to her, moving against her to satisfy his need to be touched. He moved his hand from her butt to the underside of her thigh. He pulled it up and wrapped her leg around him. With his other hand he picked her up, slightly off the floor so that he could better feel her own heated womanhood against him.

He knew they needed to stop. He didn't want their first time to be like this; outside his car pulled over on the side of the road. But his will faltered when she was so willing to be with him. He tried pulling away, but his resolve would dissolve when she whimpered in protest. He quickly, without having to be begged, returned his loving attention to her neck, her shoulders, and her mouth. His hand found their way underneath her blouse and up to her breast. She trembled underneath him hot touch.

"What are you doing to me?'' he whispered huskily, his hot breath caressing her neck. He needed to stop. He had to ignore his wolf and his desire. He wanted it to be memorable. He didn't want to provide a reason for her to have regrets later. "We should stop," he whispered regretfully, hoping she wouldn't listen to him

But she continued to kiss him, following his own actions, and trailing light kisses along his jaw until she reached his neck. She sucked gently, nibbling and licking on the base of his neck. She kissed his hot skin, following an invisible path to his shoulder as she pulled his shirt away with her free hand. Once there she felt an immense need to bite; to suck and bite and leave a mark. The feeling was animalistic, like claiming territory but it was so strong that she gave into it. It was something she had never felt before. She bit down gently at first. Her other hand resting on his chest as it playfully found its way underneath his shirt. She bit harder the more she touched him, the need inside her growing strong. She knew she would leave a mark. That the spot would be bruising as the blood coagulated there. She didn't care. In fact, she hoped Bella saw it. She wanted her to know she did it. That she bit Jacob. That she was the one who caressed him and made him moan with her touch. She wanted to rub it in her face and make her stay away from him. If only it wouldn't make her look over possessive as well.

With a sudden strong movement, Jacob picked her up completely off the floor and wrapped her legs around him. She smiled against his skin when he moaned and begged her not to stop. She liked feeling wanted like this. She liked knowing she made Jacob want her so much he begged for her. It boosted her ego to say the least.

"Did you say we should stop?" She asked teasingly.

"No." he said, making his way down her neck to her shoulder. He wanted to mark her too; to claim her at least like this. He started to repeat what she had done, though he was much gentler. She felt something being pulled inside her. Something that made its way down to her lower abdomen, twisting and burning, it went farther down until she felt a strong need to be taken.

"J-Jake-"she moaned. She arched her back away from the car, pushing herself closer to Jacob. "Jake—I-w-want you." She was breathing hard, moving her hips to grind against his erection. She didn't know what had gotten into her. Why she was doing this. But she didn't care. She didn't have the right mind to think about things.

He moaned, trailing kisses down her throat to the hollow between her breasts. He wanted it so badly. But just thinking of where they were. It felt wrong to make this place there first time. He knew it was probably the imprint and the wolf's need to claim that was making them both like this. He understood that her wolf probably needed to claim and be claimed. But he didn't want it to be here.

The sound of a car approaching strengthened his resolve. "Not here. There's-there's a car coming."

She pulled away from him, looking to see where the car was. Headlight soon appeared around the bend and she un-wrapped her legs from around his waist and dropped down. The car pulled over right behind them and Jacob cursed realizing it was a police cruiser.

She was blushing, the tip of her ears red. "Don't worry. It's not your dad. It's Charlie."

She cursed and looked away from the cruiser, hiding her face against Jacob's chest. "That's not better! He's my dad's boss!"

Jacob wrapped his arm around her reassuringly while Charlie shined his cruiser light on them. He pulled her closer to him, hoping to hide her as well as his painfully visible erection. Jacob wondered if it was absolutely necessary for Charlie to do that.

Charlie turned the extremely bright light off and stepped out the car. "Jacob, what are you doing out here? Is something wrong?" he asked approaching them.

"Hey Charlie. Actually no, we were just talking before I took her home. Nothing wrong." _You can go now! _ He said internally.

Charlie raised his brow curiously and looked at the girl hiding behind Jacobs embrace. "Who's that you've got there Jacob? Girlfriend I didn't know about?"

Jacob felt his face heat up but he didn't look away. "Yes Charlie, she's my girlfriend. Are we done with the twenty questions here?"

"Are you sure you should be talking like that to the authority?"Charlie asked taking a step towards them, trying to get a glimpse of who the mysterious girl was.

"Charlie!" Jacob groaned.

"Don't make me call your dad Jacob." Charlie warned, though he had a mischievous smile on his face.

Jacob snickered. "Like my dad would do anything." Naomi giggled against his chest, holding on to his shirt as she hugged him.

Charlie looked defiantly at Jacob and then motioned towards Naomi. "Who's the young lady there? Are you alright miss?''

Her grip tightened around Jacob before she groaned in defeat. She slowly turned around to face him, not missing the look of surprise in Charlie's face. "I'm okay Charlie."

His eyes were wide. "_You're _Jacob's girlfriend?"

She smiled and looked up at Jacob. He looked a little worried. "Yes. I'm his girlfriend." Jacob beamed and pulled her into a hug. Naomi laughed but hugged him back, keeping her attention on the shocked looking Charlie.

"Does your dad know?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes Charlie, he knows." Jacob answered.

Charlie smiled and looked at them both. "Good! Then I'll escort you two home. I'm heading over to your house Naomi. You're dad's expecting me. We've got some work stuff to discuss."

"Her curfew's not up yet. We'll catch up in a little bit." Jacob said instead, almost daring Charlie to say otherwise.

He looked at his watch and then the two of them. "Your choice. But make sure you make curfew. I know Toni better than you think." He said starting to turn around but he stopped and looked back at them. "And please behave and keep things PG."

Both Naomi and Jacob felt the embarrassment heating their faces as they watched Charlie pull out, sounding his siren briefly before leaving.

Naomi turned and buried her face in her hands. "Oh my God! That was so embarrassing! You think he'll tell my dad?"

Jacob hugged her. "No. Don't worry about it. I'll talk to him." He pulled her hands away from her face and made her look at him. "He won't say anything." He promised, kissing her lightly on the lips.

She smiled feeling and overflowing happiness. She bit her bottom lip, smiling goofily, and looked away, images of what they had just been doing going though her head.

"So-was that a yes?" He asked pulling her playfully against him. She looked up at him, trying not to smile like a dork. Though the happiness she felt was making that very hard.

"Was that you asking?" she asked instead, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

He gave her a peck on the lips and another on her cheek. "That was definitely me asking."

She licked her suddenly dry lips. "What exactly where you asking again?"

His eyes zeroed in on her lips, licking his own. "You know-that thing-you and me-girlfriend?"

She laughed, pulling him so that his face was closer to hers. He was still tall compared to her. She kissed him once, softly and briefly, on the lips. Then she kissed him again and again, all of them soft and brief, until he kept her lips on his and deepened the kiss himself.

She pushed on his chest, laughing at his childish protest. "Just in case you didn't understand. That was me saying yes."

He kissed her then, roughly and full of passion. It became hard to get away from each other but they did anyways; their fear for her dad stronger, for a small instant, than their desire to be together.

They went home that night, happy as one could be, smiling like dorks until they fell blissfully asleep.

* * *

**A/N: LOL. I'm the one smiling like a dork. Personally, I thought that was kind of cute-and embarrassing lol! Oh! Before I forget. I want to thank those who reviewed, alerted and favored. I really feel motivated when I read your reviews. It's like, I want to update quickly, so I know what you think-again. lol :/ weird?**

**I'll probably make those two go all the way next chapter. Then again, 'make' isn't the right word, both were ready and willing to go all the way chapters ago lol. I do have some questions tough. How do you guys think their relationship is progressing? Too fast, too slow, just right? Are any of you curious as to who that guys is or the kind of drama I'm getting ready to throw your way. :D**

**Anyways, please review. Your kind words are very encouraging! :D**


	17. Loving among Nightmares

A/N: :D I'm super excited by this chapter! I have to admit thou, they are getting ridiculously long! But when I edit, I never find anything I want to remove or that the story can live without! :/

Anyways, I don't remember when was the last time a wrote a disclaimer, soo- I don't own anything recognized as part of the twilight franchise. Everything else is mine, including the plot. :D

Also, a warning for this chapter, it includes a detailed sexual scene. You've been warned. [I don't think it's so bad thought] :D

Also # 2, lol, thanks so much for those who reviewed! Oh-em-gee! Seriously you guys! I was grinning like an idiot! :D

Oh, um, LadyBlondeMary asked a few questions I though some of you would like the answer to.

So here you go;

**Why did Edward's hands became warmer when she helped him?**

About Edward. He was able to feel the warmth because, since she's technically a wolf and at the moment she was running a temperature higher than a normal human, not quite 108, but higher than normal, she was able to warm Edward's otherwise cold hands. It's like her heat was able to seep into his skin, because she's a wolf, when noting else could. Think of it as, wolfs are the only ones-aside from other vampires-that can break a vampires skin, why shouldn't their body heat be able to penetrate the vampires skin too? :D something like that...lol I hope you can follow my logic. At least it sounds reasonable in my head-kind of like the half imprint thing :D

**Has being near a vampire for the entire evening triggered her wolf gene?**

Yes, being near Edward for so long and so close did start to trigger the wolf gene. That's the reason she made that remark about not wanting to catch a cold/flue. She was starting to feel a sickly warm.

* * *

**Your Guardian Wolf**

**Chapter 17-Loving among nightmares **

She tossed and turned, breathing heavily, unconsciously tangling herself in her sheets. She'd been having recurring dreams lately; ever since her date a week were always of her and Jacob, laughing and kissing and enjoying their time together, much like they did during the day. They'd become inseparable. Well, almost. They still went to different schools.

But those recurring dreams just proved to her how much she wanted Jacob. Every night she'd go to sleep and every time she dreamt of him. He came to her, always by the beach or in a clearing in the forest, and he made love to her. Always with such an intensity and so much love that when she woke up she groaned angrily, wanting to go back to sleep and continue where she left off.

Jacob didn't try to go any farther after that night out on the road. They kissed and touched and moaned and grinned but they didn't go further. Even their friends teased them, telling them they needed to get laid already so they'd stop looking at each other like that. _In front of us!_ Paul complained. _You guys are disgustingly corny! _Naomi would blush and hide her face using Jacob's wide chest, secretly inhaling his masculine scent.

But tonight was different. Her dream wasn't pleasantly arousing and loving. It was dark and full of fear. A fear so real, so deep, she thought the pain would kill her.

_She was alone, walking through the forest, an immense fear filling her. She didn't know what she was afraid of. All she knew was that it wasn't because she was lost. Or because it seemed that the darkness surrounding her was endless and that the moon did not shine over her. No she wasn't afraid because of that. She felt followed, watched. She felt like the prey. Apprehensive, her senses on full alert, watchful for something she had yet to recognize. She walked farther, not knowing where she was going, fearful tears running down her face. She wanted to call out for help, call for her dad, for Jacob. But she was afraid. She feared that whatever was hunting her, watching her, would find her quickly. Or strike the moment she spoke._

_So she kept quiet, silently crying and praying that someone would find her; someone that wasn't getting ready to kill her. She walked forward trying to watch out for leaves or fallen branches when she realized a thick fog was surrounding her, covering the base of the forest as it circled itself around the trees. It was like a living fog, making its way to her, leaving but a small perfect circle around her, untouched. It seemed so surreal to her, almost like a dream. But the fear and intensity of it, proved it otherwise. At least to her. She became frantic, unsure of what kind of evil would cause fog to do this; to seemingly think on its own. _

_A branch broke to her left. Her head turned to her left instantly; alerted to any kind of movement coming from that side. Her heart starting pounding in her chest and she prayed it wasn't loud enough to be heard. A blur of white flashed before her eyes, quickly disappearing into the darkness in front of her. She took a fearful step back. Something in her heart told her to run! To run and get away from whatever was out there. _

_The blur of white returned this time from the right, quickly pushing itself past her, knocking her down to the floor. Her silent tears became sobs as she tried to push herself off the floor. The sharp rocks tore the skin of her palms. She saw it coming again, but this time it stopped in front of her. He looked human. But she knew better. His blood red eyes looked at her and the sardonic smile he gave her sent chills through her body. She backed away from it, still on the floor. But she wasn't able to get far. He grabbed her by the throat, squeezing, preventing any air from reaching her lungs. She was off the floor, her feet dangling in the air as she struggled to remove his hands from her neck. He said nothing. He just looked at her, tilting his head curiously, watching her weak attempts to free herself. _

_His lips then curled into a smile, slowly. His eyes shined a red so deep, so unreal. _

_A low growl rumbled out of him. _

_Her eyes blurred, watering. She couldn't breathe. She tried opening her mouth, to suck in air; but none of it reached her lungs. His hold tightened on her. He suddenly pulled her to him, still holding her up in the air with one hand. His nose grazed her neck, inhaling deeply. He laughed a mockingly evil laugh. She knew this was her end. That she would not live past this weird night._

_Suddenly another blur of white came flying out of nowhere and knocked the inhuman creature away from her. She gasped for air, inhaling desperately, coughing. Her throat was dry, raspy. Her eyes watered as she tried to see who her savior was. Through her tears she saw a white wolf running up to that thing. But he just moved expertly to the side, dodging all the wolf's attacks._

_Tears fell from her eyes. She turned around wanting to find something that would help. She wanted to run but she also knew that she had to help the wolf. She felt a sort of attachment to her, like she knew her. She couldn't bring herself to run, like she knew she should. She turned to look at the wolf, only to see how that man, that beast, broke her neck. Her body fell to the floor. It laid there limp, free of life._

_Noise came from her right and she turned to find Jacob, Paul and Embry coming out of the trees. They wore their usual cut offs as they angrily growled at the beasts standing triumphantly over the dead wolf. She screamed at them to get away! To run! But they paid no attentions. She begged them to get away but no matter how hard she screamed they would not turn. It was as if she wasn't there; like they couldn't hear her._

_The inhuman beast was looking at her now, walking menacingly towards her. She stepped back, pleadingly looking towards the guys. But they crowded over the fallen wolf, silently morning their loss. They didn't see the man walking right past them. They didn't see her crying in fear. They couldn't help her! They couldn't see her! They didn't know she was there!_

_The man ran to her with invisible speeds. She screamed and lifted her hands in her last attempt to stop him. The blow she was expecting; the pain that would bring her to her death never came. After a few fearful seconds, she opened her eyes. Her heart dropped. It stopped beating. Her eyes watered as she shook her head in denial, backing away slowly._

_The bodies of her friends laid lifelessly next to the white wolf. Paul, Embry, Seth, Quil just laid there; their eyes lifeless, blood dripped from their bodies. Everywhere she looked there was a broken bone, popped out or simply latched off. Next to them, laid Sam, Jared and Jacob. They looked at her, all of them. Their eyes were wide open and dead. She wanted to run! She wanted to wake up. To make it all go away. She wanted it all to be a dream; a horrible nightmare_

_Suddenly out of the corner of her eyes, she saw movement. The man that murdered her friends reappeared, holding a young girl in his arms. She didn't know who she was but she saw the fear in her eyes. He looked at Naomi, smiling before he twisted her neck and allowed her body to drop limply next to the rest._

"_NO!"_

She woke with a muffled cry. Her eyes opened to the darkness that surrounded her in her room. _Just a dream,_ she repeated in her head. One after another she repeated it but it did nothing to weaken the fear that had followed her out of the dream. Her body shook with the sudden sobs, clear images of her dead friends running through her mind.

She noticed the time on the alarm across the room. It read two-fifteen. She felt wrong; like something was off. She feared for Jacob; for her friends. She wanted to run out her house, throught the front door, and look for her friends. She needed to see them alive and make sure it wasn't another dream; that the horrible nightmare was just that, a nightmare.

She curled in her bed, resting her back against the headboard as she pulled her legs to her. She couldn't stop sobbing. She couldn't push away that sense of dread. All she wanted was to hear their voices. She needed to know Jacob was not dead, lying lifeless somewhere out in the woods.

She hated feeling like this; having dreams so intensely. She remembered all too well what happened last time she did.

She made up her mind, not caring that she would wake him. Not caring if he thought her crazy. She reached for her phone and looked for Jacobs's number. Once she pulled it up she took deep breathes trying to calm her sobs. She didn't want to call him while she was still hysterical. With a deep breath that chocked her, she dialed his number. It rang a couple of times and she thought he was probably sleeping profoundly.

_Or dead,_ her conscious added after. Her fear picked up as the phone continued to ring. She was about to hang up when he answered.

"Naomi?" He answered confused, surprisingly sounding wide awake. "Is something wrong? Why are you awake so late?"

The sound of his voice sent a crashing wave of relief through her, causing her tears to fall again. She wanted to answer him, to say something, but she couldn't stop crying. "Babe, what's wrong? Are you crying?"

She covered her mouth trying to keep her sobs unnoticeable. She was overwhelmingly relieved to hear his voice. It was like finding someone after you thought he was lost to you forever.

"Baby?"

She took a deep quivering breath. "Are y-you o-okay?" she asked, covering her mouth again as the sobs threatened to overtake her again.

"Yes, why? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Baby, talk to me please!"

She closed her eyes, cursing herself for having such a weak hold on her emotions. She listened to his even breathing. Sound broke through the phone and she heard someone else with him

_Jake! What the hell are you doing out here, man! Hurry the fuck up! Sam won't start without you!_

Her eyes widened and the little hold she had on her emotions crumbled. "Is t-that Paul?" she whimpered.

"Yeah." Jacob answered taking in a deep calming breath. "What's wrong?"

"Is he o-kay…"

_Is that Naomi? What the fuck? _She heard Paul ask.

She heard a struggle and the passing of a phone. "Shorty? Why the hell are you awake? It's two in the fucking morning! Go to sleep!"

She bit her lips to hold in a sob. "Paul?"

There was a silence on the other end; his heavy breathing was the only thing she heard. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes watered all over again and it became hard for her to see. She sniffled, pushing aside the need to let go and cry. "Nothing. I'm just overacting." Her voice was thick, chocked.

"Bullshit!"

She heard another struggle and the passing of the phone. Paul grumbled and warned Jacob, _If you did something to her I'ma fucking kill you! Got that?_

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Fuck off Paul. Tell Sam to fill me in later."

She smiled, still sniffing and breathing unevenly.

"You there?" Jacob asked.

"mhm"

"You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"No." She didn't want to remember and relive those horrible images.

"You want me to stay awake the rest of the night wondering why my girlfriend called me up in tears?"

She leaned her head against the headboard, breathing to try and calm her rapidly beating heart. "I had a nightmare."

It was silent for a few seconds. "A nightmare?"

She felt foolish now, calling him in the middle of the night, just because she had a nightmare. She closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn't think she was weird. "Mhm."

"What kind of nightmare?" He asked. There wasn't a hint of mockery in his voice.

"Bad."

He was silent, like thinking something over. "You want to talk about it?" Just thinking about it made it all too real for her. The vivid images began to flash right before her eyes. No, she didn't want to talk about it. She couldn't.

A renewed wave of tears stared falling and she felt like a kid because of it. She didn't want to talk about it. She just wanted to hear his voice and make sure he was okay. But she couldn't answer him. Her fear caught in her throat, preventing her from saying anything. Her sobs came out low and chocked. She was trying to be quiet. She didn't want him to hear her. She pushed the phone away, covering the speaker with her hand.

If only this same fear hadn't griped her before, warning her of death. If only she didn't have a past experience with it.

She heard noise coming from the phone. She pulled it back to her ear and talked to Jacob. "I'm sorry Jake. It's just a nightmare. I'll talk to you tomorrow-or later."

"Wait! Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes." But she knew she wasn't. She knew she'd just lay awake in her bed until the sun rose and it shined through her window.

"Okay." He said sounding unsure. "I'll call you back in ten minutes; to see if you're still all right. okay?"

"Mhm." She wouldn't speak; afraid her voice would give her away.

"Bye."

She didn't say it back. She just regretfully hanged up. She knew if she said anything he would know. She crawled underneath her sheets, pulling the covers over her body up to her shoulders, afraid to cover her head and left vulnerable to anything out there.

She suddenly thought about her dad. She bolted out of her bed and fearfully walked out of her bedroom down the hall. His dad always left his door ajar, claiming he could hear better if anyone broke in. She peeked in. Her dad was sound asleep. He looked peaceful, free of nightmares.

She smiled in relief and returned to her bedroom, locking her door behind her. She grabbed her Zune and played her current favorite list; full of dubstep and techno. She felt like the heavy beat and rhythm could help her forget or the loud bass would push away the horrible images. She crawled into her bed, pushing away the images that freely popped into her head. It was an uncontrollable thing. Something inside her told her not to ignore the dream. Not to push it away; to heed its warning like the last time she had one like this. But she was afraid to remember.

The last time she had a dream like this her step sister could have died.

Twice in one month she dreamt of her death. Twice she woke up crying, her body shaking with her sobs as she ran to her room, waking her as she launch herself into her bed and hugged her.

She became overprotective of her. She prohibited her to wear the outfit she saw her wearing in her dreams. And when her step sister causally informed her she had a stoker, she panicked. The day after that she shoved maze into her hand and told her to always carry it around.

Her step sister laughed, "He's a dork! What could he do to me?"

Naomi pouted and continued to shove the maze onto her hand. Elizabeth reluctantly took it. A week later, while she was leaving a party, someone attacked her. 'Till this day they haven't found out who it was, only that she frantically pulled out the maze from her purse, sprayed the guy and ran off. By the time the police got there, there were no signs of the man. They never found him.

After that no one questioned her dreams or made fun of her. She didn't have any kind of premonition powers or anything like that. She just listened to her gut when it was practically screaming at her, like it was doing so now.

A light tap came from her window. She panicked, shoving herself of the bed, almost falling off as she crawled to the other end of the room, away from the window. She saw the shadow of a man standing on her porch roof, knocking lightly on her window again. She blinked rapidly, ridding herself of the haze her tears had created. The man moved closer to the windows.

"Naomi?"

She pushed away from the wall, recognizing the man as Jacob. With a renewed sense of relief she rushed around the bed and opened the window for him. He wasn't half way in before she was wrapping herself in his arms.

He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, closing the window with his free hand. "I'd sneak in more often if you greeted me like this every time."

She smiled against his chest, realizing it was bare. She pulled away from him, looking him over, only to have her fear return instantly. He was wearing the cut offs. Then again, it was only logical since he seemed to love them. But she hated seeing him in them, especially without a shirt; just the way he'd been in her dream.

"What's wrong?" He said, lifting her chin with his fingers so she'd look at him. He saw her puffy red eyes and her tear stained cheeks. He felt a pang in his chest. "Was it that bad?"

Her eyes began to sting all over again. She looked away from his face but her gaze landed again on his shorts. She couldn't get the image of him just lying there, his eyes that were naturally so bright, dull of life. She couldn't shake off the feeling of dread.

He pulled her to him. "It's okay. Tell me what happened." He could hear her rapidly beating heart, smell the adrenaline and fear coming off of her. Did it have anything to do with the sudden fear he had felt a while ago? It felt similar, very familiar. Could it be that they could feel their imprint when they were distressed?

"It was just a nightmare. Just a dream." But it obviously wasn't. She was trembling in his arms, silently trying not to cry.

He pulled her to her bed. He sat in the center, resting his back against the headboard and pulled her in between his legs. She moved to her side, so that she could rest her face on his chest and hug him at the same time.

"Tell me. It was real enough-at least while you dreamt it." He said to her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling the covers over their bodies, more for her benefit than his. He heard music coming from somewhere. He figured it was her mp3 lying somewhere on the bed. He knew how much she loved that thing.

He heard her heart rate pick up, her breathing coming in short shallow burst. "I dreamt-I mean-you were there-Paul and Embry and a wolf. It was a girl. I don't know how I know that-but I do."

Jacob's body tensed briefly before he forced himself to relax. "What happened?"

She hugged him tightly. "He killed her. He just snapped her head and dropped her on the floor like some trash to discard." She was talking quicker now, scared and frantically. "I tried to help. I wanted to run. Oh God his eyes! But I couldn't. I knew that the wolf needed my help. I felt like I knew her, like I should recognize her. But I didn't know what to do. He was too quick!"

He soothed her, sliding his hand up and down her arm in a comforting motion. "Relax. Start from the beginning. Remember, it's just a dream."

She closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. "I was lost, somewhere in the woods. It was so dark, there was no moon but I could still see. I felt scared, watched. I knew I needed to run, to leave and run. But I was too scared to make any sudden movement or to make noise. Then I saw something white running around. It disappeared right in front of me and then it came back from my right. It pushed me to the grown. I tried getting up. I wanted to run. But he came back. He grabbed me by the neck and lifted me off the floor. I couldn't breathe. He looked like a human but-I don't know why-I knew he wasn't. His eyes were red. Like blood. He looked at me weird and he sniffed me. I thought he was going to kill me but then the white wolf appeared. They fought, she bit him a couple of times but he was just playing with her. And suddenly, just like that, he grabs her from mid air and breaks her neck! She just twitched on the floor!" Her voice quivered, holding on tighter to him. He didn't know why but he felt her fear and for some reason his own uncertainty over earlier doubled.

"Then you appeared with Paul and Embry. The three of you were angry, shaking. You were wearing those shorts! You always wear those damn shorts!" she cried, holding on to him.

She felt foolish for acting like this. But she didn't know how else to feel.

He kissed the top of her head."Shh-it's okay. I'm here. I won't wear them anymore. Just calm down, babe. Please."

She exhaled, letting go of the breath she didn't know she was holding. "You promise?"

He hugged her tightly and chuckled. "I promise."

She gave his chest a feather light kiss and turned back to rest her face on it. "I yelled at you to run, to get away from him. But you couldn't hear me. The three of you just cried around her. You didn't even notice when-when he past right by you! But he wasn't paying any attention to you anymore. He looked at me. He ran my way and I thought I was dead. I closed my eyes waiting for the pain but it never came. W-when I o-opened my eyes, he wasn't there. But-"

He felt concern for her now, her heart rate just kept getting higher and higher. Her breathing was uneven and the fear he could feel off of her made him weary. He didn't know how to make her feel better so he just hugged her. "You guys were just there, lying next to her-you were all—d-dead! Everyone! Sam, Quil, Jared-everyone! Even you! It was horrible, he tore you up, broke your bones. It felt so real. I felt so much pain that I couldn't breathe from it."

A low growl rumbled from his chest. He remembered having dreams of vampires when he was getting ready to phase. But they were never so detailed and no one ever died in his dreams. He couldn't begin to imagine the fear she must have felt. He was sure that the white wolf was Leah. There was no other. It bothered him. How could she know? How could her subconscious come up with a white wolf that appeared to be Leah? Naomi said she felt connected to her, like she needed to stay behind and help. It had to be Leah.

It didn't help his anxiety either knowing they had chased away a vampire earlier that night and that the filthy bloodsucker got away. Yes, that did nothing to help ease his mind. It just felt like too much of a coincidence for her to have this dream on the night they chased a leech.

"It's okay. We're all okay. Leah's fine." He said and almost instantly he realized his mistake.

"Leah?" she asked lifting her head from his chest to look at him.

He looked away, unwilling to lie to her face. "Yeah. Wasn't she in your dream?"

She looked thoughtful for a second. Her eyes suddenly widen and a new fear crossed her face. "Oh my God! The wolf was Leah! That fucker killed Leah!"

Jacob panicked. "No! No why would—why would you think she was Leah?"

She returned to resting her head on his chest. She listened in comfort to the sound of his heart. It soothed her. It pushed her fear away, knowing that he was alive and warm next to her. "I don't know. But it seems right. The connection I felt with the wolf it's like the one I have with Leah. Don't ask me why she was a wolf though. I have no idea. All I know is that she's in danger."

She was calmer now, somehow. He didn't care to know how, he was just happy she was. "Don't worry. We'll keep an eye out for her. Besides, it was just a dream, right?" He felt her tense but she nodded anyways.

"Here-go to sleep. I won't leave until you do." He said pulling the pillow to lay it next to him.

She reluctantly pushed herself away and made herself comfortable next to him. She motioned for him to lie next to her, wanting to enjoy his proximity a little bit longer. He moved away from the head board and scooted closer. He pulled her close to him, cradling her in his arms. He could smell her clean hair, lavender and something else. He closed his eyes tightly, thinking this was not the time to think of the rest of her body; wet and glistening under the water as it ran down from her head to her breast, to her stomach and…

He shook away the thoughts, feeling a vital part of his body twitch to life.

Naomi moved. "Jake?"

"Hmm?" He had his eyes closed tightly, willing his dick to calm the fuck down.

"What is that?" She asked. There was a subtle laughter in her voice as she moved around, teasingly brushing up against him.

"Nothing." He groaned, feeling even the tip of his ears becoming hot.

"You sure? It kind of feels like something." She said, moving her hands in between them. She sneaked her hand across his chest down to his abdomen. He inhaled sharply when her hands lingered over the hem of his cut offs. Her fingers grazed tauntingly over his skin, ever so slightly sneaking barely underneath his shorts.

"You're keys?" she asked playfully. "Wallet? A flashlight?" She giggled, pulling herself closer to him. She kissed him lightly on his jaw, trailing down to his chest; her right hand lingering over his shorts, playfully pulling on them.

"Why don't you—investigate." He said huskily, grabbing her hand and placing it right over his hard on.

She bit her lip, smiling. She felt him push his hips forward, into her hand. She timidly allowed her hand to linger there. She touched him, massaged and rubbed her hand over him; over the shorts. Her caress was gently, feeling shy for her sudden boldness.

She blushed when she felt how big he really was. She wondered if it would hurt. Then she thought the pleasure would probably be greater.

She looked up at him, his eyes closed. She pulled her hand away from him, laughing when he groaned his complain. He opened his eyes, the same longing from a week before, once again there.

She reached up to kiss him, reaching her hand to his neck and pulling him down to her. She leaned her body into him, feeling his erection pressing firmly against her thigh. His hand trailed from the middle of her back to her butt, pulling firmly and pushing her against his erection. She moaned into the kiss, lifting her leg to wrap it around him. It gave them a little more room and he pulled her closer. His erection pressed teasingly against her heated womanhood. He kissed her deeply, groaning when she moved against him.

She loved hearing him respond like that. It ignited something in her.

He pulled away from the kiss, kissing her jaw, down to her neck while his hand continued to massage her bottom, seductively trailing a finger down the middle. Her body trembled with the touch and she pushed herself against him, grinding her hips against his erection, loving the hot feeling she got from him.

Somewhere she heard the faint sound of music. Her mp3 was playing "Silence" a remix by Mt. Eden. That song always made her wonder what it would feel like to make love to it. It just felt hot. It turned her on and made her want to move her hips seductively, faster and faster as the song increased its tempo. It made her want to move like she was doing now; pushing Jacob to lay flat on his back while she straddled him.

She leaned forward, her hair cascading around her face, caressing and tickling Jacob's chest. Naomi kissed his chest, down the middle of his stomach across his hard abs. She roamed her hands along his side, feeling the hard muscle as it curved, his hips narrowing, before feeling the hard rough material of his shorts. She pressed herself against his erection. She moved and swayed her hips back and forth in a circular motion, following the beat she was hearing. Not too fast, not too slow.

If his expression was any indication of how she was doing, well then she knew she was doing one heck of a job.

Her right hand sneaked in between both their already touching bodies. She struggled with the button on his shorts but he helped her with it. She realized with a smile that he wasn't wearing anything besides the shorts. She resumed her slow descent down, touching his hot skin, tracing circular trails around the hair that covered his groin. She teased him, lingering her fingers just above reach, so close to touching his hard shaft. She felt him move underneath her, wanting her to touch him, pushing himself closer to her hand. But she kept her fingers away, teasing while they softly brushed over him.

While her hand teased and probe, she took his mouth in a hard kiss, nibbling on his lip, distracting him while her hand slowly touched him more and more until she held him softly, almost tenderly. He groaned and arched his back underneath her as she slowly started to slide her hand up and down his shaft. She kept the rhythm even, slowly picking up her pace.

She was giving free rein to her instincts, her need to pleasure him allowing her to do things she would have otherwise not done. The need was so great in her it made her daring beyond what she would have ever imagined.

She began another slow descent with her mouth, slowly kissing and nibbling her way from his lips to his jaw, down his neck, to his chest, where she lingered over his muscular breast and licked his perked buds.

He inhaled sharply, moving his hands up and down her hips, to her thighs and around to her ass. He grabbed her there, pushing her down to sit on him, moving her hips to the beat, hard against his throbbing erection. He felt her heat on him, pulsating against him.

He could hear the song too and found it exhilarating when he noticed the synchronized movements between her and the song, slow and seductive. Almost dreadfully teasing. He raised himself, needing to feel her, wanting to be inside her.

He could smell her arousal and his own. The slow trails of kisses she was bestowing on his chest did nothing to help strengthen his resolve and not take her hard and fast. He'd been dreaming, literally, of taking her, of touching and loving her body just like this. It felt almost surreal now that it was happening.

His need grew painful when she continued to caress him with her mouth. Kissing her way to his ribcage, to his side, where he felt an internal pull that ran through his stomach straight to his loins. He knew where those trails of kisses where taking her. He knew where she'd end up. He just couldn't wait 'till she got there.

He pushed her so that she'd be the one on her back and sucked on her lips forcefully. He felt her hands wrapping around his neck, pulling him to her. He licked her lower lip with the tip of his tongue, making his way inside. He kissed her long and deep, pulling her thin shirt over her shoulders. He groaned and his mouth watered when he saw the black laced bra she was wearing. He wondered if she was one of those girls that matched her undergarments. He thought it was hot if she did. Then again, he didn't really care if she didn't, they were coming off anyways.

His hand left her hips, lingering barely above her skin, creating a feather light touch as his hands roamed up to her breast. She was breathing hard and her body trembled. It turned him on knowing he was the one doing that to her. That she was whimpering with his touch, aroused by him.

He sneaked his finger underneath her bra, following the lace to the back where he unhooked it. His breath caught in his throat and his heart beat frantically against his chest. She pulled the bra off, never once taking her eyes off of him. He moaned, closing his eyes and buried his face in the hollow between her breasts. His right hand touched her soft skin, right below her chest, sliding almost carefully up to her breast. He wanted to memorize the feel of her skin, every breath she took and every moan that left her throat. His finger grazed right over her breast, carefully pinching her light brown bud. He took the other breast in his mouth, caressing her with the tip of her tongue breathing hot air over them, making them hard. She moved and squirmed underneath him, moaning and pulling him closer, lacing her fingers in his hair.

"J-Jake…" she moaned pleadingly, moving underneath him to touch him. He didn't let her. He didn't want to lose control.

"Jake!" she pleaded, wrapping one of her legs around his waist, pulling him to her. "Please..."

But he ignored her pleads, giving her other breast the attention he was so willing to give. As he sucked and licked, his left hand caressed her stomach, going farther down, pulling on the soft hem of her PJ's. He pushed them down, pulling away from her breast and sitting up to pull them off all the way. He licked his lips when he saw the black lace panties; the kind that always showed half their ass. His dick twitched with anticipation and his hand ached to touch her. He grabbed her bare ass, the part that always showed with these kinds of panties. He closed his eyes, memorizing the soft feel of it.

He got off the bed, desperately taking of his own shorts. He looked at her, laying there on the bed, in black lace, waiting for him. The covers where tangled on her feet, her hair spread widely on the pillows below her. She moved her hand shyly over her breast, covering them. She bent her leg, shyly using her thigh to cover herself. It was an image he was sure never to forget. A sight he could definitely get used to and wake up to every morning.

He didn't notice her blush until he looked at her face and her averting eyes from his chest to his erection and then back to his chest. He loved it when she blushed; when she bit her lip and looked away. Then oh so casually looked right back.

"You can look." He said, taking a step forward. His voice sounded strange even to his own ears.

Her face reddened, making him smile. "It's just-big. I think."

He arched his eyebrow, amused. "You think?"

She looked at him, and then looked away again. "I've never really been—well you know—I haven't."

"Oh." He felt his heartbeat falter. "Oh!"

Something inside him grew. Maybe it was pride for being her first; knowing he was the first man to see her like this, to touch her so intimately. Maybe it was his desire or a mixture of both. He didn't know and he didn't care. All he knew was that his desire was getting painful and his hold on it was wearing thin.

He practically jumped back onto the bed. He was getting desperate to feel her, fill her. But he refused to make it quick. He sat near her legs, bending over to draw invisible kisses on her thighs. He paid close attention to her body's respond. He kissed the inside of her thigh, teasingly, with the tip of his tongue, licking his way upward. She inhaled sharply, arching her back, making his face inch closer to her heated femininity.

He continued his assent, nibbling on the sensible skin that wasn't covered by her panties'. He used his left hand, pulling gently on the edge of her underwear, his tongue following a similar pattern as he trailed the upper border, licking the hot skin there.

He wanted to lick her; to suck on her soft mound but something inside him told him it might be too soon or too much for the first time.

But if that feeling inside him kept his mouth from touching her there, it didn't keep his fingers.

He kissed her abdomen, hopping that his lingering caresses would distract her from what his hands where doing. He touched her thigh with his right hand, wondering how someone's skin could be so soft. He followed the length of her thigh until his warm hand cupped her, feeling her own heat seeping into his palm. She gasped, pushing forward much like he had earlier. He cupped her harder, his forefinger inching under her panties, pulling them completely off.

He heard her breathing picking up, shallow and quick. He continued nibbling on her stomach, around her bellybutton while his hand returned to cover what her panties left exposed. He slipped his finer around her bare mound, slipping it between her folds, almost expertly finding her clitoris. She groaned, her body trembling underneath him as he caressed her gently, making sure not to over stimulate the region. He continued his caresses, never once forgetting her breast as he took one in his mouth.

He could feel her hot and wet as he inched his forefinger into her slowly. He slid his finger in and out, groaning when she lifted her leg to wrap it around him. She whimpered underneath him, pulling on him.

"Jake—p-please!" she groaned, "I w-want you—n-now!"

He quickly pulled out his finger, looking blindly on the floor for his shorts and pulling out a condom from his wallet. He positioned himself over her, his breathing stammering with need as his shaking fingers put the condom on. He spread light kisses all over her face; on her cheeks, on her lips. "I'll be careful, babe. I'll try not to hurt you."

"Stop talking—"she said, pulling him to kiss her on the lips.

He chuckled, deepening the kiss. He slowly started to enter her. First just the tip, slowly sinking in deeper, allowing her body to become use to his size as he fought the urge to take her in one swift thrust. He felt the warm radiation of her, encircling him erotically. Her scent increased, intoxicating him to near oblivion. He moved deeper, feeling the thin vale of her virginity. He took her lower lip in his mouth, sucking on it while he gave one, deep thrust. Her hands tightened around him, her eyes shut tightly.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, continuing to give her comforting kisses as he stopped his thrusting.

She opened her eyes. Her moist eyes betrayed the pain she had felt and it hurt him to have been the cause of it. "Don't stop," she whispered.

With a needful groan, he buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent as he started thrusting into her again. His movements where slow at first. But they began to pick up speed as both their needs escalated.

His left hand grabbed her ass, squeezing it hard while his other hand held him above her. There movements became synchronized, the music still playing from somewhere underneath the sheets. It excited them both, the fast paced beat and the heavy bass adding to their ecstasy. He could feel it building up in the lower part of his stomach. He could feel it as her wall constricted around his dick.

She wrapped both her legs around him, trying to make it possible to feel him deeper inside her. Her hands pulled on him desperately, pulling his chest to touch her own as she curved her back to meet him thrust after thrust. She could feel her release building up insider her, the heat growing and growing until she thought it would burn her. She wanted to scream at him, to demand he went faster, harder. But the build was quickly taking over her. She felt her body flush with a tingling sensation, like a heat that came with every single of his thrust, spreading over her body as it started to tremble. Her release took hold of her body as she hugged him desperately, biting him on the shoulder on a last attempt to hold herself together.

She felt his uneven thrusting as his body began to shake over hers as well. His breathing was shallow and hot on her neck. He bit on her shoulder, sucking and biting harder as the tremors continued to shake his body. He kept pumping into her until with one hard last thrust; his body came to a standstill over hers.

She slowly descendent from her high; her chest was rising and falling rapidly while Jacob nuzzled his nose against her.

"Oh fuck!" he whispered against her skin.

She laughed, "Yeah-I know."

After a few minutes he pulled out of her and cradled her in his arms. He loved how she smelled. His scent had mixed with hers. She was his and there wasn't anyone in the world that could change that.

Their friends thought that after being together that their constant corny stares and touches would diminish. But they were wrong. He became possessive of her, pulling her to his side every chance he got. He'd kiss her cheek and nibble on her ear, whispering something that made her laugh when he noticed some guy checking her out.

During patrols he guarded his thoughts ferociously, unwilling to share her even then. He growled threateningly when his friends made comments about her, after—without being able to control it—he thought of how she looked laying there on her bed, waiting for him. The thought of it turned him on and to his displeasure so did some of his pack members

And that was just the day after.

* * *

A/N: *blush* :D so I'm excited to know what you thought of that. :/ I didn't use bold sexual words b/c I feel like they take away from it. It makes it read more like a porn story lol. Sorry if I disappointed anyone *sniff* I'll make it extra kinky next time if you want. :D

I was running out of words to call their-um-privates. Using words like 'penis' and 'vagina' makes it less sexy/romantic. :D so i struggled.

Anyways, I was done with the chapter and was editing when I realized—I didn't make Jacob wear a condom! So I had to go back. Hope it's' not noticeable. :D

Have you guys heard the song i mentioned? I think the beat in those songs are exciting :D

Hope you enjoyed it! Review?


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